Egypt +20
To call Egypt from abroad, dial your exit code (or +), then 20, then the local number without its leading 0. In full: +20 10 01234567.
The country calling code for Egypt is +20. A number starting +20 or 0020 is a call to or from Egypt. From abroad: +20 10 01234567.
To call Egypt from abroad, dial your exit code (or +), then 20, then the local number without its leading 0. The +20 code identifies the country; the following digits identify the line (landline or mobile).
How to call Egypt from abroad
011 20 10 0123456700 20 10 012345670011 20 10 01234567+20 10 0123456710 01234567 is a real-format Egypt mobile number (example from the ITU-T numbering plan): replace it with the number you were given, without its leading 0.
Egypt area codes
In Egypt, landlines usually include an area code after +20 (without its leading 0). Mobiles have no area code.
Number format
02 34567890from abroad+20 2 34567890010 01234567from abroad+20 10 01234567Landline numbers in Egypt have 8 or 9 digits after the country code; mobile numbers have 10 digits. The national prefix 0 is only dialled inside the country — drop it after +20.
Calling abroad from Egypt
To call another country from Egypt, dial the exit code 00 (or + on a mobile), then the country code, then the number. From Egypt to the United States, for example: 00 1 201 555 0123.
A Egypt number in international format is written +20 …. The + stands for the exit prefix (00 in much of the world, 011 in North America). Switching to international format, drop the leading 0.
Cheapest ways to call Egypt
With internet on both ends, apps like WhatsApp, Signal or FaceTime call Egypt for free. To reach a number without an app, VoIP services are usually cheaper than your operator’s international rate.
Frequently asked questions
What country has the code +20?
Egypt has the country calling code +20.
How do I call Egypt from the United States?
Dial 011, then 20, then the local number without its leading 0 — for example 011 10 01234567.
What does +20 mean?
It is the international dialing code for Egypt. The + stands for your exit code (00 in much of the world, 011 in North America).
Is +20 mobile or landline?
The +20 code identifies the country, not the line type; Egypt landlines and mobiles share it.
A country code covers a whole nation; the full number depends on the city and operator.
Mobile networks in Egypt
4 mobile network operators run their own networks in Egypt. The largest is Vodafone Egypt, with about 56.5 million subscribers (July 2026). Pick the one with the best coverage where you will spend most of your time.
Owned by Vodacom Group (55%), Telecom Egypt (45%)
formerly Mobinil
Owned by Orange S.A. (99.39%), free float (0.61%)
Owned by Etisalat (76%), Egypt Post (20%), Other Investors (4%)
by Telecom Egypt
Owned by Egyptian government (80%), free float (20%)
- 4G/5G frequency bands used in Egypt: 5G 2500, LTE 1800. Most recent smartphones cover them; older or regional models may miss some.
- Moving there? Mobile number portability has existed since 2008-04-07, a transfer takes about 24 hours day(s) and costs free (may request 5 egp for new mnp sim fee), was charging 75 egp before.
Operators, subscriber counts, network codes and switch-off dates: Wikipedia (lists of mobile network operators, mobile network codes, 2G/3G phase-out, mobile number portability), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Figures come from each operator or regulator at the date shown.
Getting a SIM card in Egypt
What visitors and new residents need to know before buying a local SIM or eSIM in Egypt, with a source for each point.
Buying a SIM as a visitor
ID is mandatory and the contract is signed in person: NTRA rules require foreigners to show an original valid passport plus a valid residency document, allow at most 5 voice and 5 data lines per passport per operator, and tie the SIM's validity to the residency period (Vodafone Egypt also accepts a passport with an E-visa or residence exemption). Since 21 January 2026 phones brought from abroad must have customs duties paid (via the Telephony app, banks or e-wallets) within 90 days of first activation on an Egyptian network; tourists and Egyptians living abroad remain exempt for 90 days.
Source: tra.gov.eg · tra.gov.eg
Where to buy it
Vodafone Egypt sells a Tourist Line (TourSIM) at its airport stores and at any Vodafone retail store in Egypt.
Source: web.vodafone.com.eg
Getting a monthly contract as a resident
Foreigners need a valid passport with valid residency (or refugee residency, residence exemption or E-visa); new postpaid customers must also prove ability to pay, e.g. an EGP 1,000 deposit, a car licence or a bank statement (Vodafone Egypt).
Source: web.vodafone.com.eg
Scam calls and texts
Report spam or fraudulent calls/SMS to the NTRA hotline 155, the My NTRA app, the website https://fraud.tra.gov.eg or your operator's call centre. There is no do-not-call registry; instead, registered marketing callers must display their name or an 'NTRA Alert' pre-notice so users can choose to ignore them.
Source: tra.gov.eg
Emergency numbers
Police: 122; ambulance: 123; fire: 180; tourist police: 126. A unified 112 emergency number was announced in 2022, but its current nationwide operation was not verified.
Source: gov.uk · egyptianstreets.com
WhatsApp and calling apps
According to Freedom House (Freedom on the Net 2025, covering June 2024 to May 2025), the NTRA announced in late 2024 plans to lift a long-standing ban on VoIP services, but the ban had not been lifted by May 2025 and several VoIP services, such as WhatsApp and Viber calling, remained inaccessible. No official confirmation of the 2026 status was found.
Source: freedomhouse.org
Checked on 28 September 2026 against the sources linked on each card (regulators, government portals and operators first). SIM and ID rules change often: confirm with the operator before you travel.
Staying connected in Egypt
With 97 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, mobile coverage in Egypt is not universal — keep a landline number as a backup when you can. Only 75 % of people use the internet, so a plain phone call may reach more people than an app.
Source: World Bank / ITU World Telecommunication indicators (IT.CEL.SETS.P2, IT.NET.USER.ZS, IT.MLT.MAIN.P2), latest available year.
Free and premium numbers in Egypt
+20 800 123 4567Free from inside Egypt (numbers starting with 800). From abroad these numbers are often unreachable or charged at the international rate.
+20 900 123 4567Surcharged services — ranges starting with 900. Do not call back an unknown missed call from such a range: the cost is far above a normal call.
Number ranges: ITU-T national numbering plan for Egypt via Google libphonenumber.
Libya +218
Sudan +249
Israel +972
Palestinian Territory +970