International Calls to United Arab Emirates
Call any mobile or landline in the UAE from your browser. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah — from only $0.49/min.
WhatsApp calling gets blocked in the UAE. Your carrier charges 5–10x more than it should. And that bank or immigration office? They only answer the phone. GlobCall bypasses all of it. Call any UAE mobile or landline from your browser, see the exact cost before you dial, and your balance never expires.
Trusted by 10,000+ callers worldwide
UAE
Mobile rate
$0.49/min
Landline rate
$0.51/min
Common greeting
As-salaam alaikum (Arabic)
Common goodbye
Ma'a salama (Arabic)
How far does your credit go?
10 min
9 min
20 min
19 min
40 min
39 min
102 min
98 min
Credits never expire • Add more anytime from $5
How Much Does It Cost to Call the UAE?
UAE numbers are expensive to terminate internationally — that's a telecom cost that carriers pass on (and mark up heavily). The table below compares what typical carriers charge versus what you'd pay through GlobCall. The difference is stark.
| Calling from | Typical carrier | Carrier rate | GlobCall |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇮🇳 India | Airtel / Jio | ₹15–80/min | $0.49/min |
| 🇵🇰 Pakistan | Jazz / Telenor | PKR 20–60/min | $0.49/min |
| 🇵🇭 Philippines | Globe / Smart | ₱15–50/min | $0.49/min |
| 🇬🇧 UK | BT / Vodafone | £0.50–2.00/min | $0.49/min |
| 🇺🇸 USA | AT&T / Verizon | $0.49–3.50/min | $0.49/min |
| 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | Grameenphone | BDT 15–40/min | $0.49/min |
Carrier rates shown are approximate standard international rates without add-on plans (as of early 2026). Actual rates vary by carrier, plan, and account type.
Airtel (India)
₹150–800
10 min to UAE mobile
AT&T (USA)
$20–35
10 min to UAE mobile
GlobCall
$4.90
Same 10 min call
A weekly 20-minute call to a UAE mobile costs about $510 a year on GlobCall. The same calls through a typical carrier cost $1,000–3,600+ depending on where you're calling from. That gap adds up fast for families who call every week. See rates for all countries.
How to Call the UAE from Your Browser
No calling card, no carrier add-on, no Skype (it shut down). Five steps, under a minute.
Go to GlobCall.com and sign in
Or create a free account — takes 30 seconds with an email address.
Select UAE 🇦🇪 from the dropdown
The country code +971 is added automatically.
Enter the phone number
Mobile (10 digits starting with 05X) or landline (area code + local number).
See the per-minute rate displayed
You know exactly what you'll pay before the call connects.
Click Call — connected in seconds
The call routes over your internet connection. On a decent Wi-Fi or 4G connection, it sounds like a regular phone call.
Dialing format
- Mobile numbers: 10 digits starting with 05X (e.g., 050 123 4567)
- Landline numbers: Area code + 7 digits (e.g., 04 234 5678 for Dubai)
- Country code: +971 — GlobCall adds this automatically
UAE area codes
GlobCall handles the formatting — just enter the number as the person in the UAE would give it to you.
Why GlobCall for Calls to the UAE
Calling cards charge $0.30–0.80/min with connection fees buried in the fine print. Carrier add-ons run $10–15/month whether you use them or not. Skype shut down. WhatsApp calling has been restricted inside the UAE more than once. Here's what's different.
You see the price before you dial
The per-minute rate shows on screen before the call connects. What you see is what you pay. No connection fee, no rounding tricks.
No plans, no monthly fee
Buy $5 or more in credit. Use it whenever you want. There's no subscription to cancel and your balance doesn't expire.
Reaches any UAE number
du, e& (Etisalat), landlines, office lines — the call routes through the phone network. The person you're calling doesn't need an app or internet.
One rate, everywhere
The rate to a UAE number is the same no matter where you're calling from. No location surcharges.
Works despite UAE app restrictions
WhatsApp calling, FaceTime audio, and Skype have all been blocked or throttled in the UAE at various points. GlobCall delivers a regular phone call — no app needed on the receiving end.
UAE runs Sun–Thu
Government offices close by 2pm GST. Banks and businesses typically work 9am–6pm, Sunday through Thursday. Friday is the day off.
Also available: GlobCall for Business · All country rates
Who Calls the UAE?
The UAE has a population of roughly 10 million, and about 88% are expats. That means most international calls to the UAE are people reaching family, not businesses.
~3.5 million in UAE
Largest community by far. IT, retail, construction, healthcare. Most live in Dubai and Sharjah.
~1.5 million in UAE
Construction, transport, retail. A weekly call home is the norm — often to family in Punjab or Sindh.
~700,000 in UAE
Nursing, hospitality, domestic work. Many send remittances home and call on weekends.
~500,000 in UAE
Primarily construction and manual labor. Low-cost calling matters — every dirham counts.
~240,000 in UAE
Finance, law, real estate. Mix of business calls to London offices and personal calls back to the UK.
~400,000 in UAE
Teachers, engineers, doctors. Often maintain close ties with family in Cairo and Alexandria.
These communities make millions of calls to the UAE every month. GlobCall handles calls from any of these countries — and 200+ more. See all country rates.
Major UAE cities and their area codes
Dubai
+971 4Business hub, tourism, finance, real estate. Most expats and international businesses are based here. Busiest calling destination in the UAE.
Abu Dhabi
+971 2Capital, government offices, oil and gas companies, embassies. If you need to call GDRFA (immigration) or a ministry, this is the code.
Sharjah
+971 6Cultural capital, universities, museums. Lower cost of living draws many expat families. Large Indian and Pakistani communities.
Good to know before you call
The UAE has two mobile carriers: e& (formerly Etisalat) and du. Numbers start with 050, 052, 054, 055, 056, or 058 and are portable between networks. GlobCall routes to either one automatically.
When to call
Same time in UAE = GST (UTC+4). Work week is Sunday–Thursday; government offices usually 8am–2pm.
Country code
+971
GlobCall adds it for you
Emergency (UAE)
Police 999 · Ambulance 998 · Fire 997
Business calling etiquette
- Expect a bit of small talk first — how are you, how is the family. Then get to the point.
- Week runs Sunday–Thursday. Friday is the day off. Don’t call businesses Friday or Saturday.
- Ramadan: shorter hours; many government offices close by 2pm.
- Prayer times: Fajr (dawn) and Isha (night) — people may not pick up. Dhuhr (midday) — some offices take a short break.
- In Dubai most business is in English. Arabic is the official language.
Common reasons people call the UAE
- Family: Spouse, parent, or child working in the Emirates while the rest of the family is back home. This is the single biggest reason people call the UAE.
- Business: Dubai is a trade and finance hub; Abu Dhabi runs on oil, gas, and government. If you work with UAE-based companies, partners, or suppliers, phone calls are part of the routine.
- Banking: Emirates NBD, ADCB, FAB, Mashreq — all run phone-based customer service. If you have a UAE account and you're abroad, there's no way around calling them for card blocks, transfers, or disputes.
- Government and visa: GDRFA (immigration), labor offices, courts, embassies. Residency permits, visa renewals, labor disputes, document attestation — all phone calls to specific offices.
- Travel: Hotels, Emirates/Etihad/flydubai bookings, car rentals. Dubai International handles 80+ million passengers a year, so a lot of people need to call ahead.
WhatsApp limits for international calls · Skype alternatives 2026
Ready to call the UAE?
Open the site, pick UAE, enter the number. Your first call is on us.
Try it free30 seconds to sign up · works in any browser · rate shown before you dial
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the cheapest way to call the UAE?
A browser-based VoIP service. Carriers mark up UAE calls heavily — Airtel charges ₹15–80/min, AT&T charges $2–3.50/min, BT charges £0.50–2.00/min. GlobCall is $0.49/min to mobiles and $0.51/min to landlines with no monthly fee.
Can I call a UAE landline from abroad?
Yes. Landlines use area codes — 02 for Abu Dhabi, 04 for Dubai, 06 for Sharjah. Enter the number on GlobCall and it adds the +971 prefix and connects to both du and e& lines.
What is the UAE country code?
+971. For mobiles, that's +971 plus 10 digits starting with 05X. For landlines, +971 plus the area code (drop the leading 0) plus the local number. GlobCall handles the formatting if you just type the number as someone in the UAE would give it to you.
Are VoIP calling apps blocked in the UAE?
At various points, yes. WhatsApp calling, FaceTime audio, and Skype have all been restricted. The rules shift. GlobCall routes through the regular phone network, so the person in the UAE gets a normal incoming call — app restrictions don't affect it.
How do I call a Dubai phone number?
Mobile: +971 50 123 4567 (10 digits starting with 05X). Landline: +971 4 234 5678 — drop the leading 0 from the area code 04. On GlobCall, just pick UAE, type the number, and press call.
What days are UAE businesses open?
Sunday through Thursday. Friday and Saturday are the weekend. Government offices and banks close early — usually by 2pm. Private companies run roughly 9am–6pm GST.
Is WhatsApp enough for calling someone in the UAE?
It depends. If the person has the app, decent internet, and calling isn't blocked that week — sure. But you can't reach a landline, a bank, a government office, or anyone who doesn't use WhatsApp. And the UAE has blocked WhatsApp voice more than once.
Do I need to install anything?
No. It runs in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge. Open the site, sign in, dial.
How does billing work?
Buy credit from $5. The per-minute cost is deducted as you talk. You see the rate before the call starts. Whatever you don't use stays in your account — it doesn't expire.