The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to join the trend towards voice communications being made over the internet as regulations may soon be relaxed.

Both small business and large corporate customers be more likely to make use of hosted VoIP telephony systems if the country's regulatory body decides to allow greater competition.

And with a British ex-pat community of around 60,000 in the Emirates, VoIP services in the UK may find there is a surge of use as people get in contact with friends from back home at much cheaper prices than before.

Currently, there are only two companies allowed to run VoIP services in the country by the UAE's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, but the watchdog has indicated it may change its approach.

"We have opened VoIP to the licensed operators for national calls and are doing a consultation to again license operators for international calls," TRA director general Mohammed Al Ghanim said, according to Arabian Business.

However, he added that foreign companies would likely be barred from offering services to UAE citizens unless they registered in the country.