When Skype was blocked in the UAE just over two weeks ago, many residents were upset and frustrated.

The news came, and Etisalat quickly came offering alternatives – though at a fee – for residents to use instead. 

Many comments, tweets and posts were made that shared the frustration of residents that Skype was blocked. 

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Frustrated customers took to change.org to voice their anger

Change.org is a site where users can create online petitions which can be signed by the public.

Until recently there appeared to be no issues with the petition website and its accessibility from the UAE.

However some residents in the UAE noticed that the site has just recently been blocked – within the past 48hours. 

The petition that people suspect is to blame is titled: “UAE: Stop Blocking VOIP Service” 

The petition was started by a resident M.A at the beginning of January.

Thousands of residents quickly began signing it before, perhaps worried, internet providers in the UAE blocked the entire site preventing anymore disgruntled customers from adding their voice to the complaint. 

Residents are not happy

Etisalat blocked Skype last month, so someone started a petition on https://t.co/afc7RKoE4a to unban it which quickly got a lot of signatures.

So Etisalat has now banned https://t.co/afc7RKoE4a. The entire website.

You can’t make this up.

— Faisal Hashmi (@FaisalHashmi) January 13, 2018

im glad people are starting to speak up about etisalat internationally but the sad truth is that nothing will change. someone started a petition against them and they blocked https://t.co/qz0HudmgXN yesterday lmfao. we’re stuck in the stone age forever pic.twitter.com/r52tUFO6kB

— Afra ????????‍♀️ (@aphradity) January 4, 2018

ON WHAT GROUNDS ARE YOU BLOCKING https://t.co/pmhVFuwxdb?? @ETISALAT EXBLAIN pic.twitter.com/Zvx8PLzJ83

— Z ???? (@Scarv3s) January 6, 2018

Feeling the pressure from customers

@etisalat and why the hell did you block https://t.co/Qf7btZhDBD? People’s complaints finally made you feel the heat?

— Asatiir (@asatiir) January 13, 2018

@etisalat Why block https://t.co/zn7NP19Udh @Change? Why are you censoring freedom of speech? It doesn’t fit any of the guideline put by @TheUAETRA. So how are you allowed to do that. We will not be silenced. #Unblock_VoIP #افتحوا_سكايب

— Hessa???????? (@Hessa_alm94) January 11, 2018

Etisalat made a statement on the block

And said Skype is blocked as it’s an unlicensed provider. 

But at least someone is finding the humour in it all