Dubai, UAE is considered one of the most beautiful and touristic cities in the world. Millions of foreigners visit it every year from all over the world, millions of foreigners have moved to work and live there, and countless people from around the world dream to either visit it or live and work there. It has one of the highest rates of money circulation and foreign investments in the Middle East region. Dubai is also known to be very technologically advanced with a very high internet penetration percentage. All this seem like a dream but every dream has a dark side. In the case of Dubai the dark side is the high rate of online censorship and online surveillance. Many sites are blocked in Dubai in addition to most VOIP services like Skype Calls, WhatsApp Calls, Facebook Calls, etc. This is considered a major complication especially for all the expats living in Dubai as they depend mainly on these services to call their families back home instead of paying large bills for international calls. For that reason, internet users started seeking methods to bypass these restrictions while still protecting their online privacy. Here is where investing in a strong reliable VPN service comes in handy.
A VPN service gives its users the capability to bypass any online restrictions by allowing them to connect to any of its numerous servers outside of the country applying the restriction and in the case of geo-restrictions it allows them to connect to its servers located within the geo-restricted country (e.g. Netflix US users in Dubai can access Netflix by connecting to a VPN server inside the US). All these connections are kept secure through 3 processes: Firstly all connections between the users and the VPN servers are highly encrypted. Secondly, once the user connects to the server, their true IP address is replaced with a shared IP to hide their online identity. Last but not least, a reliable VPN service supports multiple advanced security protocols to further secure the connection.
According to these features we have undertaken a thorough research among VPN providers. We focused on these 3 criteria when comparing providers and their features and with that we were able to perform a filtration process and shortlist the 3 most reliable VPNs for Dubai.
Best VPNs for Dubai
BVPN
BVPN was officially launched in 2014 and is based in the Netherlands. It is considered one of the strongest VPNs when it comes to online security and privacy. It provides its countless users with both unique and powerful online security measures that are truly unmatched in the market today. Recently it has merged with the popular Middle East provider WaselPro, which highly contributed to its success in the Middle East including Dubai.
Level of Security
- The entire network is secured with a 256-bit military grade encryption
- Multiple advanced and unique security protocols supported (OpenVPN with TCP/UDP, L2TP/IPSec, SSH, SSTP, and its very own Smoke Tunnel)
- Additional security features include Internet Kill Switch, IPv6 Leak Protection, and Public Wi-Fi Hotspot Protection
Network of Servers
- More than 20 strategically placed server locations
- Continuous expansions and additions to the network
- Each server provides its users with numerous shared IP’s
Additional Features
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Unlimited server switching
- No logs kept
- Up to 6 simultaneous connections
- Arabic speaking customer support (Very important advantage in the Middle East)
- 7-day money back guarantee
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN started operating back in 2009 from the British Virgin Islands. Over the years and with a lot of dedication, commitment and hard work grew to be one of the biggest names in the VPN field. Today it is the proud provider of over 200,000 users worldwide and growing. From competitive features to an impressive network, it has proven its name in several challenges around the world and was an easy choice to recommend for Dubai.
Level of Servers
- A 256-bit encryption is used to secure the entire network
- Multiple security protocols supported (OpenVPN with UDP/TCP, L2TP/IPSec, PPTP, and SSTP)
- An additional security feature is the Network Lock Kill Switch
Network of Servers
- More than 1000 servers in 145 cities, spread across 94 countries around the world
- This network provides its users with thousands of shared IP’s
Additional Features
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Unlimited server switching
- No logging of network traffic
- Up to 3 simultaneous connections
- 30-day money back guarantee
Buffered VPN
Located in Hungary, Buffered VPN was founded in 2013 and is considered one of the fastest growing VPNs. Its user database is continuously expanding due to its trustworthy online security and privacy features. It has been climbing up the ranks among its competitors in several previous challenges around the world. When we took a closer look at it and all its features we found that it would be a perfect recommendation for Dubai.
Level of Security
- The Buffered VPN network is secured with a 256-bit Blowfish encryption
- It supports the OpenVPN protocols exclusively (UDP and TCP) as it is the safest and most secure security protocol
Network of Servers
- Buffered VPN has servers in 39 countries around the world
- This network is able to provide its users with countless shared IP’s
Additional Features
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Unlimited server switching
- Up to 5 simultaneous connections
- No logs kept
- 30-day money back guarantee
Conclusion
Using a VPN in Dubai is a wise solution for bypassing all the online restrictions and being able to enjoy complete online freedom which includes being able to make international calls through VOIP services. However, the legality of doing so is still up for question as this is a very grey area in Dubai. This is why as much as we advise the use of a VPN, we also advise to be very careful and make sure that you are not doing anything illegal. On the other hand, online privacy is considered a very basic human right in addition to online freedom.
