What the official source says
- SourceTRA, Decision 34/2012, 11 March 2012 and Ooredoo Oman, OoredooTalk page
- What it saysDecision 34/2012 of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), issued on 11 March 2012, covers public voice services over VoIP. It lets licensed public voice operators offer them and says the Authority may exempt specific VoIP applications on computers or similar devices that are used for personal purposes only. The TRA publishes an unofficial translation, and only the Arabic version is binding. Ooredoo Oman calls its own Ooredoo Talk app the first approved VoIP app in the country.
- What it does not sayNone of the official pages used here names WhatsApp.
What this means on your trip
- Messages and photos use mobile data, so switch on roaming for the eSIM line after landing.
- Save your hotel address, bookings and phone numbers offline, in case an app does not work.
- Your eSIM has no phone number, so keep your home SIM active for verification codes.
- Rules change. Open the official page again shortly before your trip.
Set it up before you fly
- Check that your phone supports eSIM and is not locked: eSIM compatible phones.
- Pick a plan for your destination below.
- Payment is taken once the eSIM is ready.
- Install it at home over Wi-Fi: tap Install in the app or scan the QR code.
- After landing, switch on data roaming for the eSIM line.
- Most plans start when your phone first connects there.
Prefer a daily allowance? 1 GB per day · 7 days for €16.49: full speed up to 1 GB a day, then 512 Kbps until the next day.
Picked like in our shop: the cheapest plan with about 0.7 GB a day. Live prices for Oman.
Questions and answers
Oman: does WhatsApp work?
The regulator's decision of March 2012 covers VoIP voice services. WhatsApp is not mentioned by name, so try one call after you land, with the app you plan to use.
Oman: what if a call does not connect?
Check that data roaming is on for the eSIM line and try again. If voice or video calls still fail, the app may be limited for calls there. A text message needs far less data than a call, so send a message instead.
Does the eSIM come with a phone number?
No. Plans are data only. Keep your own SIM for calls and texts, and use messaging apps over data.
Updated 24 Oct 2026 · checked against our live catalogue
How we check our data · Prices and plans come live from our catalogue; facts come from official sources, listed where we use them.
Sources: TRA Oman: Decision No 34/2012 on the Regulation on the Provision of Public Voice Telecommunications Service via VoIP (unofficial translation) · Ooredoo Oman: OoredooTalk VoIP
