Skype founder would like to see service in UAE

The founder of Skype, Niklas Zennstrom, would like to see the internet telecommunications service made available in the UAE.

In the capital for the Abu Dhabi Media Summit, Mr Zennstrom says the service would help to "enhance" the economy and stimulate the telecoms sector, as Facebook and Twitter have done.

"I'd be pleased to see it available here in this market … it's a positive thing that should be embraced," the venture capitalist says. "It's a matter for the telecommunications companies and the regulator to decide.

"There's always been a few exceptions where the service has not been available, which has been disappointing for those people because they could not communicate with people in other countries."

The UAE is one of a few countries worldwide that has not welcomed the global internet telephone provider. But many residents have found ways to download the Skype software and use it for international phone calls.

Mohamed al Ghanim, the director-general of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), announced last December that the regulator was in talks with Skype and other voice over internet protocol providers to see if their services could be established in the UAE, but a deal is yet to be signed.

Mr Zennstrom could not provide any details on this deal, or a date for a planned Skype initial public offering, because of US regulations on disclosure.

He says social media and technology have a "huge" role to play in the democratisation and education of the Mena region as unrest continues.

"It's quite amazing how you can use Twitter and Facebook really to broadcast your message and if you have a good message people will follow you," Mr Zennstrom said. "No matter who you are, you can be heard."

Mr Zennstrom, whose venture capital company Atomico has invested in 30 companies in Europe and the US, is now studying the talent in the Middle East but says he is not yet looking for investments.

Atomico last week joined a group of investors to pump US$42 million (Dh154.2m) in Rivio, the Finnish creator of the successful mobile phone video game Angry Birds. Mr Zennstrom has also taken a seat on the Rivio board.

"There seem to be more and more interesting things happening in the Middle East and daring entrepreneurs [who are] looking to start companies," he says.

"I'm not primarily here to look for investments but to learn about companies."

rjones@thenational.ae