What Are Geographic Permissions, and Why Do They Exist?
Introduction
Geographic permissions, also known as geo permissions or geo blocking, are mechanisms used by businesses and telecommunication platforms to control which geographic regions can send or receive communications—such as voice calls and SMS messages. If you need to call or message a high risk country you can contact support available 24/7.via the live chat box for help to enable this country.
These permissions are crucial for several reasons:
- Fraud Prevention: Geo permissions help protect businesses from fraudulent activities, such as toll fraud or SMS pumping, which can result in unexpected high costs and financial losses.
- Compliance: They ensure compliance with local regulations and privacy laws, allowing companies to avoid legal issues and reputational damage.
- Cost Management: By restricting communications to specific regions, businesses can manage operational costs and avoid unexpectedly high charges for international usage.
- Security: Geo permissions add a layer of security by blocking communications from or to high-risk regions, reducing the likelihood of cyberattacks or abuse.
How Geographic Permissions Work
Geographic permissions typically function by categorizing countries or regions into low-risk and high-risk groups based on factors such as fraud risk, regulatory environment, and cost. Businesses can then enable or disable communications to these regions according to their needs and risk tolerance.
- Low-Risk Countries: These are regions with stable telecommunication environments, lower fraud risk, and generally lower costs for voice and SMS services.
- High-Risk Countries: These regions may have higher instances of fraud, regulatory complexities, or elevated costs, making them riskier for businesses to engage with.
Low-Risk and High-Risk Countries for Voice and SMS Services
Below are tables listing low-risk and high-risk countries for voice and SMS services, based on the latest industry standards and risk assessments as of 2025.
For Voice:
Low-Risk Country and Country Code Table
North America
Country | Country Code |
Anguilla | (+1-264) |
Antigua and Barbuda | (+1-268) |
Aruba | (+297) |
Bahamas | (+1-242) |
Barbados | (+1-246) |
Belize | (+501) |
Bermuda | (+1-441) |
Cayman Islands | (+1-345) |
Costa Rica | (+506) |
Dominica | (+1-767) |
Dominican Republic | (+1-829,1809,1849) |
El Salvador | (+503) |
Greenland | (+299) |
Grenada | (+1-473) |
Guadeloupe | (+590) |
Guatemala | (+502) |
Haiti | (+509) |
Honduras | (+504) |
Jamaica | (+1-876) |
Martinique | (+596) |
Mexico | (+52) |
Montserrat | (+1-664) |
Netherlands Antilles | (+599) |
Nicaragua | (+505) |
Panama | (+507) |
Puerto Rico | (+1-787,1939) |
St Kitts and Nevis | (+1-869) |
St Lucia | (+1-758) |
St Pierre and Miquelon | (+508) |
St Vincent Grenadines | (+1-784) |
Trinidad and Tobago | (+1-868) |
Turks and Caicos Islands | (+1-649) |
United States/Canada | (+1) |
Virgin Islands, British | (+1-284) |
Virgin Islands, U.S. | (+1-340) |
South America
Country | Country Code |
Argentina | (+54) |
Bolivia | (+591) |
Brazil | (+55) |
Chile | (+56) |
Colombia | (+57) |
Ecuador | (+593) |
Falkland Islands | (+500) |
French Guiana | (+594) |
Guyana | (+592) |
Paraguay | (+595) |
Peru | (+51) |
Suriname | (+597) |
Uruguay | (+598) |
Venezuela | (+58) |
Europe
Country | Country Code |
Albania | (+355) |
Andorra | (+376) |
Austria | (+43) |
Belarus | (+375) |
Belgium | (+32) |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | (+387) |
Bulgaria | (+359) |
Croatia | (+385) |
Cyprus | (+357) |
Czech Republic | (+420) |
Denmark | (+45) |
Estonia | (+372) |
Faroe Islands | (+298) |
Finland/Aland Islands | (+358) |
France | (+33) |
Germany | (+49) |
Gibraltar | (+350) |
Greece | (+30) |
Hungary | (+36) |
Iceland | (+354) |
Ireland | (+353) |
Italy | (+39) |
Kosovo | (+383) |
Latvia | (+371) |
Liechtenstein | (+423) |
Lithuania | (+370) |
Luxembourg | (+352) |
Macedonia | (+389) |
Malta | (+356) |
Moldova | (+373) |
Monaco | (+377) |
Montenegro | (+382) |
Netherlands | (+31) |
Norway | (+47) |
Poland | (+48) |
Portugal | (+351) |
Romania | (+40) |
San Marino | (+378) |
Serbia | (+381) |
Slovakia | (+421) |
Slovenia | (+386) |
Spain | (+34) |
Sweden | (+46) |
Switzerland | (+41) |
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus | (+9-0392) |
Ukraine | (+380) |
United Kingdom | (+44) |
Vatican City | (+379) |
Asia
Country | Country Code |
Afghanistan | (+93) |
Armenia | (+374) |
Azerbaijan | (+994) |
Bahrain | (+973) |
Bangladesh | (+880) |
Bhutan | (+975) |
British Indian Ocean Territory | (+246) |
Brunei | (+673) |
Cambodia | (+855) |
East Timor | (+670) |
Georgia | (+995) |
Hong Kong | (+852) |
India | (+91) |
Indonesia | (+62) |
Iraq | (+964) |
Israel | (+972) |
Japan | (+81) |
Jordan | (+962) |
Korea, Dem People's Rep | (+850) |
Korea, Republic of | (+82) |
Kuwait | (+965) |
Kyrgyzstan | (+996) |
Laos PDR | (+856) |
Lebanon | (+961) |
Macau | (+853) |
Malaysia | (+60) |
Maldives | (+960) |
Mongolia | (+976) |
Myanmar | (+95) |
Nepal | (+977) |
Oman | (+968) |
Pakistan | (+92) |
Palestinian Territory | (+970) |
Philippines | (+63) |
Qatar | (+974) |
Russia/Kazakhstan | (+7) |
Saudi Arabia | (+966) |
Singapore | (+65) |
Sri Lanka | (+94) |
Taiwan | (+886) |
Tajikistan | (+992) |
Thailand | (+66) |
Turkey | (+90) |
Turkmenistan | (+993) |
United Arab Emirates | (+971) |
Uzbekistan | (+998) |
Vietnam | (+84) |
Yemen | (+967) |
Africa
Country | Country Code |
Algeria | (+213) |
Angola | (+244) |
Benin | (+229) |
Botswana | (+267) |
Burkina Faso | (+226) |
Burundi | (+257) |
Cameroon | (+237) |
Cape Verde | (+238) |
Central Africa | (+236) |
Chad | (+235) |
Comoros | (+269) |
Congo | (+242) |
Congo, Dem Rep | (+243) |
Djibouti | (+253) |
Egypt | (+20) |
Equatorial Guinea | (+240) |
Eritrea | (+291) |
Ethiopia | (+251) |
Gabon | (+241) |
Gambia | (+220) |
Ghana | (+233) |
Guinea | (+224) |
Guinea-Bissau | (+245) |
Ivory Coast | (+225) |
Kenya | (+254) |
Lesotho | (+266) |
Liberia | (+231) |
Libya | (+218) |
Madagascar | (+261) |
Malawi | (+265) |
Mali | (+223) |
Mauritania | (+222) |
Mauritius | (+230) |
Morocco/Western Sahara | (+212) |
Mozambique | (+258) |
Namibia | (+264) |
Niger | (+227) |
Nigeria | (+234) |
Reunion/Mayotte | (+262) |
Rwanda | (+250) |
Senegal | (+221) |
Seychelles | (+248) |
Sierra Leone | (+232) |
Somalia | (+252) |
South Africa | (+27) |
South Sudan | (+211) |
Sudan | (+249) |
Swaziland | (+268) |
Tanzania | (+255) |
Togo | (+228) |
Tunisia | (+216) |
Uganda | (+256) |
Zambia | (+260) |
Zimbabwe | (+263) |
Oceania
Country | Country Code |
American Samoa | (+1-684) |
Australia/Cocos/Christmas Island | (+61) |
Australian External Territories | (+672) |
Cook Islands | (+682) |
Fiji | (+679) |
French Polynesia | (+689) |
Guam | (+1-671) |
Kiribati | (+686) |
Marshall Islands | (+692) |
Micronesia | (+691) |
New Caledonia | (+687) |
New Zealand | (+64) |
Northern Mariana Islands | (+1-670) |
Palau | (+680) |
Papua New Guinea | (+675) |
Samoa | (+685) |
Solomon Islands | (+677) |
Tonga | (+676) |
Vanuatu | (+678) |
High-Risk Country and Country Code Table
North America
Country | Country Code |
Anguilla | (+1-264) |
Antigua and Barbuda | (+1-268) |
Aruba | (+297) |
Bahamas | (+1-242) |
Barbados | (+1-246) |
Belize | (+501) |
Bermuda | (+1-441) |
Cayman Islands | (+1-345) |
Costa Rica | (+506) |
Dominica | (+1-767) |
Dominican Republic | (+1-829,1809,1849) |
El Salvador | (+503) |
Greenland | (+299) |
Grenada | (+1-473) |
Guadeloupe | (+590) |
Guatemala | (+502) |
Haiti | (+509) |
Honduras | (+504) |
Jamaica | (+1-876) |
Martinique | (+596) |
Mexico | (+52) |
Montserrat | (+1-664) |
Netherlands Antilles | (+599) |
Nicaragua | (+505) |
Panama | (+507) |
Puerto Rico | (+1-787,1939) |
St Kitts and Nevis | (+1-869) |
St Lucia | (+1-758) |
St Pierre and Miquelon | (+508) |
St Vincent Grenadines | (+1-784) |
Trinidad and Tobago | (+1-868) |
Turks and Caicos Islands | (+1-649) |
United States/Canada | (+1) |
Virgin Islands, British | (+1-284) |
Virgin Islands, U.S. | (+1-340) |
South America
Country | Country Code |
Argentina | (+54) |
Bolivia | (+591) |
Brazil | (+55) |
Chile | (+56) |
Colombia | (+57) |
Ecuador | (+593) |
Falkland Islands | (+500) |
French Guiana | (+594) |
Guyana | (+592) |
Paraguay | (+595) |
Peru | (+51) |
Suriname | (+597) |
Uruguay | (+598) |
Venezuela | (+58) |
Europe
Country | Country Code |
Albania | (+355) |
Andorra | (+376) |
Austria | (+43) |
Belarus | (+375) |
Belgium | (+32) |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | (+387) |
Bulgaria | (+359) |
Croatia | (+385) |
Cyprus | (+357) |
Czech Republic | (+420) |
Denmark | (+45) |
Estonia | (+372) |
Faroe Islands | (+298) |
Finland/Aland Islands | (+358) |
France | (+33) |
Germany | (+49) |
Gibraltar | (+350) |
Greece | (+30) |
Hungary | (+36) |
Iceland | (+354) |
Ireland | (+353) |
Italy | (+39) |
Kosovo | (+383) |
Latvia | (+371) |
Liechtenstein | (+423) |
Lithuania | (+370) |
Luxembourg | (+352) |
Macedonia | (+389) |
Malta | (+356) |
Moldova | (+373) |
Monaco | (+377) |
Montenegro | (+382) |
Netherlands | (+31) |
Norway | (+47) |
Poland | (+48) |
Portugal | (+351) |
Romania | (+40) |
San Marino | (+378) |
Serbia | (+381) |
Slovakia | (+421) |
Slovenia | (+386) |
Spain | (+34) |
Sweden | (+46) |
Switzerland | (+41) |
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus | (+9-0392) |
Ukraine | (+380) |
United Kingdom | (+44) |
Vatican City | (+379) |
Asia
Country | Country Code |
Afghanistan | (+93) |
Armenia | (+374) |
Azerbaijan | (+994) |
Bahrain | (+973) |
Bangladesh | (+880) |
Bhutan | (+975) |
British Indian Ocean Territory | (+246) |
Brunei | (+673) |
Cambodia | (+855) |
East Timor | (+670) |
Georgia | (+995) |
Hong Kong | (+852) |
India | (+91) |
Indonesia | (+62) |
Iraq | (+964) |
Israel | (+972) |
Japan | (+81) |
Jordan | (+962) |
Korea, Dem People's Rep | (+850) |
Korea, Republic of | (+82) |
Kuwait | (+965) |
Kyrgyzstan | (+996) |
Laos PDR | (+856) |
Lebanon | (+961) |
Macau | (+853) |
Malaysia | (+60) |
Maldives | (+960) |
Mongolia | (+976) |
Myanmar | (+95) |
Nepal | (+977) |
Oman | (+968) |
Pakistan | (+92) |
Palestinian Territory | (+970) |
Philippines | (+63) |
Qatar | (+974) |
Russia/Kazakhstan | (+7) |
Saudi Arabia | (+966) |
Singapore | (+65) |
Sri Lanka | (+94) |
Taiwan | (+886) |
Tajikistan | (+992) |
Thailand | (+66) |
Turkey | (+90) |
Turkmenistan | (+993) |
United Arab Emirates | (+971) |
Uzbekistan | (+998) |
Vietnam | (+84) |
Yemen | (+967) |
Africa
Country | Country Code |
Algeria | (+213) |
Angola | (+244) |
Benin | (+229) |
Botswana | (+267) |
Burkina Faso | (+226) |
Burundi | (+257) |
Cameroon | (+237) |
Cape Verde | (+238) |
Central Africa | (+236) |
Chad | (+235) |
Comoros | (+269) |
Congo | (+242) |
Congo, Dem Rep | (+243) |
Djibouti | (+253) |
Egypt | (+20) |
Equatorial Guinea | (+240) |
Eritrea | (+291) |
Ethiopia | (+251) |
Gabon | (+241) |
Gambia | (+220) |
Ghana | (+233) |
Guinea | (+224) |
Guinea-Bissau | (+245) |
Ivory Coast | (+225) |
Kenya | (+254) |
Lesotho | (+266) |
Liberia | (+231) |
Libya | (+218) |
Madagascar | (+261) |
Malawi | (+265) |
Mali | (+223) |
Mauritania | (+222) |
Mauritius | (+230) |
Morocco/Western Sahara | (+212) |
Mozambique | (+258) |
Namibia | (+264) |
Niger | (+227) |
Nigeria | (+234) |
Reunion/Mayotte | (+262) |
Rwanda | (+250) |
Senegal | (+221) |
Seychelles | (+248) |
Sierra Leone | (+232) |
Somalia | (+252) |
South Africa | (+27) |
South Sudan | (+211) |
Sudan | (+249) |
Swaziland | (+268) |
Tanzania | (+255) |
Togo | (+228) |
Tunisia | (+216) |
Uganda | (+256) |
Zambia | (+260) |
Zimbabwe | (+263) |
Oceania
Country | Country Code |
American Samoa | (+1-684) |
Australia/Cocos/Christmas Island | (+61) |
Australian External Territories | (+672) |
Cook Islands | (+682) |
Fiji | (+679) |
French Polynesia | (+689) |
Guam | (+1-671) |
Kiribati | (+686) |
Marshall Islands | (+692) |
Micronesia | (+691) |
New Caledonia | (+687) |
New Zealand | (+64) |
Northern Mariana Islands | (+1-670) |
Palau | (+680) |
Papua New Guinea | (+675) |
Samoa | (+685) |
Solomon Islands | (+677) |
Tonga | (+676) |
Vanuatu | (+678) |
For SMS:
Country | Country Code | Risk Level |
Anguilla | +1264 | Low Risk |
Antigua and Barbuda | +1268 | Low Risk |
Aruba | +297 | Low Risk |
Ascension | +247 | Low Risk |
Bahamas | +1242 | Low Risk |
Barbados | +1246 | Low Risk |
Belize | +501 | Low Risk |
Bermuda | +1441 | Low Risk |
Canada | +1 | Low Risk |
Cayman Islands | +1345 | Low Risk |
Costa Rica | +506 | Low Risk |
Cuba | +53 | Low Risk |
Curaçao & Caribbean Netherlands | +599 | Not Available |
Dominica | +1767 | Not Available |
Dominican Republic | +1809 / +1829 / +1849 / +1809201 | Not Available |
El Salvador | +503 | Not Available |
Greenland | +299 | Not Available |
Grenada | +1473 | Not Available |
Guadeloupe | +590 | Not Available |
Guatemala | +502 | Not Available |
Haiti | +509 | Not Available |
Honduras | +504 | Not Available |
Jamaica | +1876 / +1658 | Not Available |
Mexico | +52 | Not Available |
Panama | +507 | Not Available |
Puerto Rico | +1787 | Not Available |
United States | +1 | Low Risk |
Virgin Islands (British/U.S.) | +1284 / +1340 | Low Risk |
Afghanistan | +93 | Low Risk |
Armenia | +374 | Low Risk |
Azerbaijan | +994 | Low Risk |
Bahrain | +973 | High Risk |
Bangladesh | +880 | High Risk |
Bhutan | +975 | High Risk |
Brunei | +673 | Low Risk |
Cambodia | +855 | Low Risk |
China | +86 | Low Risk |
East Timor | +670 | Low Risk |
Georgia | +995 | Low Risk |
Hong Kong | +852 | Low Risk |
India | +91 | Low Risk |
Indonesia | +62 | Low Risk |
Iran | +98 | Not Available |
Iraq | +964 | Not Available |
Israel | +972 | High Risk |
Japan | +81 | Low Risk |
Jordan | +962 | Low Risk |
Korea (North) | +850 | Low Risk |
Korea (South) | +82 | Low Risk |
Kuwait | +965 | Low Risk |
Oman | +968 | High Risk |
Pakistan | +92 | High Risk |
Palestine | +970 / +972 | High Risk |
Sri Lanka | +94 | High Risk |
Tajikistan | +992 | High Risk |
Syria | +963 | Not Available |
All listed European countries | various | Low Risk |
All listed countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, etc.) | various | Low Risk |
Algeria | +213 | High Risk |
Nigeria | +234 | High Risk |
Tunisia | +216 | High Risk |
Remaining African countries | various | Low Risk |
All listed (Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, etc.) | various | Low Risk |
Inmarsat, Iridium, International Networks | +870 / +881 / +882 / +883 | Low Risk |
Why Geographic Permissions Matter
- Fraud Mitigation: By restricting access to high-risk regions, businesses can significantly reduce the risk of toll fraud, SMS pumping, and other malicious activities.
- Regulatory Compliance: Geographic permissions help businesses adhere to local laws and regulations, avoiding fines and legal complications.
- Cost Control: Preventing unexpected charges from high-cost or high-risk regions ensures better budget management and financial stability.
- Enhanced Security: Blocking communications from regions with high cyber threat levels adds an extra layer of protection against potential attacks.
Conclusion
Geographic permissions are an essential tool for modern businesses, especially those operating in the telecommunications and digital communication sectors. By understanding and implementing these permissions, companies can protect themselves from fraud, ensure compliance, manage costs, and enhance security.
Updated on: 17/11/2025
Thank you!