Cómo llamar a Argelia desde Francia

The dial string is `+213` followed by the Algerian number with the leading `0` dropped. Algerian mobiles are 9 digits starting `5`, `6`, or `7` after the country code. Algiers landlines start `+213 21`. The biggest practical problem on this corridor is not the cost but Algeria Telecom's filtering of inbound VoIP traffic, which can produce one-way audio failures on calls that otherwise appear to connect.

The dial string

To call Algeria from France:

• ›`+213 {city or mobile prefix} {number}`, or
• ›`00 213 {city or mobile prefix} {number}` from a French landline.

Drop the leading `0` from the Algerian number. A Mobilis mobile printed as `0550 12 34 56` becomes `+213 550 12 34 56`. An Algiers landline printed as `021 23 45 67` becomes `+213 21 23 45 67`.

Mobile vs landline

Algerian mobile numbers are 9 digits starting `5`, `6`, or `7`. Mobilis (state operator) numbers start `55`; Djezzy starts `66` or `67`; Ooredoo Algeria starts `56` or `77`. The carrier identity matters because Algeria Telecom's international gateway filtering hits Djezzy and Ooredoo numbers more aggressively than Mobilis numbers on most VoIP routes.

Algerian landlines vary by wilaya. The trunk code is 2 digits for the largest cities: Algiers `21`, Oran `41`, Constantine `31`, Annaba `38`, Tlemcen `43`. The subscriber number is 6 digits.

Algeria does not bill the receiver for incoming international calls.

What it costs

Four realistic routes for a France→Algeria call in 2026:

• ›French mobile international add-on. Algeria is excluded from Orange France's "Monde 60", SFR's "Pass International", and Bouygues' "Module International" by default. Pay-as-you-go rates without an add-on sit at €0.80, €1.30/min to Algerian mobiles. The dedicated "Maghreb" add-ons that Orange and SFR sell separately bring this down to about €0.10/min but require a monthly subscription.
• ›Pre-paid international calling card. Maghreb-targeted cards (LycaMobile vouchers, Lebara, sector-specific tabac-shop cards) advertise rates from 4-6 cents/min to Algeria. Algeria-specific cards usually price mobiles and landlines separately; mobile rates are 3-5x landline rates.
• ›VoIP app-to-phone. Skype's successor Microsoft Teams Phone terminates to Algerian mobiles at around €0.13/min when the route survives gateway filtering, which it does not always.
• ›Browser-to-phone via WorldDial. €0.029/min to Algerian landlines, €0.089/min to Algerian mobiles, billed per second. Per-call attempt-rate (does the call actually complete) is the metric that matters more than per-minute price on this corridor.

For corridor traffic, the dedicated carrier "Maghreb" subscription is competitive if you call Algeria for more than 90 minutes a month. For occasional calls, especially to mobiles, a per-second-billed browser route is cheaper end-to-end.

Toll-free numbers from this corridor

Algeria does not have a widely-deployed toll-free numbering plan. A small number of major banks (BNA, CPA, BEA) and government services publish a 4-digit short code (`3001`, `1100`, `1078`) that works only within Algeria. These short codes will not connect from France on any carrier.

Algerian banks and government offices that need international callers publish a standard `+213 21 …` Algiers landline as their international line. BNA: `+213 21 67 50 50`; CPA: `+213 21 64 35 64`; Sonelgaz (electricity): `+213 21 73 70 70`. These are paid lines from your side.

Best calling windows

Algeria runs on UTC+1 year-round (no DST). France runs UTC+1 in winter, UTC+2 in summer. France and Algeria are in the same time zone in winter; France is one hour ahead in summer.

The best window for reaching a human on an Algerian bank or government helpline is `09:00-11:00 Algiers time`, the first two hours of the working day. In France that is `09:00-11:00 CET` (winter) or `10:00-12:00 CEST` (summer).

Algerian government offices typically close from `12:00-13:00` for prayer and lunch and the queue surges immediately after reopening. Avoid `13:00-14:30 Algiers time`. The working week runs Sunday to Thursday in Algeria; Friday and Saturday are the weekend. A Friday morning call from France will reach a closed office.

Pitfalls specific to this corridor

• ›Algeria Telecom blocks several international VoIP gateways. Algeria Telecom maintains a deny-list of international SBC IPs and ASNs it associates with cheap voice termination, primarily for revenue-protection of the state operator. The symptom is a call that connects and rings, the recipient picks up, and one direction of audio is silent. The block list is not public, changes monthly, and varies by destination operator. If a call connects with silent audio, hang up immediately and redial; the second attempt typically routes via a different gateway that may not be on the deny-list. WorldDial has primary and backup gateways for Algeria and switches automatically on the second attempt.
• ›VoIP services blocked outright in Algeria. WhatsApp voice and video calls are blocked at the network layer in Algeria since 2018. Signal is intermittently blocked. Viber Out works for international callers (you can dial an Algerian number) but Algerian callers cannot dial out from Viber inside Algeria. If you ask a relative in Algeria to "call you on WhatsApp", they cannot.
• ›SMS to Algerian mobiles for OTP is slow and unreliable. A2P SMS delivery to Algerian mobiles has been throttled since 2022, bank password resets that depend on an OTP to an Algerian mobile routinely fail, with the OTP arriving 5-30 minutes after request. If your Algerian relative needs to receive a verification code from a French institution, expect a long wait.
• ›Bilingual line routing. Many Algerian state services route French-language and Arabic-language callers through different agents based on the option selected at the IVR. Selecting the wrong language at the menu adds 15-20 minutes to the queue because you cannot transfer between language queues.

Quick checklist

• ›Have the destination number in international format: `+213` followed by 9 digits, leading `0` dropped.
• ›Identify whether the number is a mobile or landline; mobile-route reliability varies by operator.
• ›Pick a window inside Algerian working hours (Sunday, Thursday, 09:00-11:00 local).
• ›If the first call has silent audio, hang up and redial immediately.
• ›Use a per-minute paid route; Algerian `3001`/`1100`/`1078` short codes will not connect.

FAQs

What is the international dialing code for Algeria?

`+213`. From France, dial `+213` or `00 213`, then the Algerian number with the leading `0` dropped.

Can I dial Algerian short codes (1100, 3001) from France?

No. These are domestic short codes that work only inside the Algerian PSTN. Banks and government offices that publish a short code also publish a standard `+213 21 …` Algiers landline as their international line.

What's the cheapest way to call Algeria from France?

For frequent corridor traffic (>90 min/month), a carrier "Maghreb" subscription (Orange, SFR, Bouygues) at around €5, €10/month brings the per-minute cost to roughly €0.10/min. For occasional calls, especially to mobiles, a per-second-billed browser-to-phone route at €0.029/min for landlines is cheaper end-to-end. Carrier pay-as-you-go is the most expensive option.

Will WhatsApp work for my Algeria call?

No. WhatsApp voice and video calls are blocked at the network layer in Algeria. The recipient cannot answer a WhatsApp call from Algeria. Some Algerian users access WhatsApp over a VPN, but they cannot rely on it for an inbound call.

Why does the call connect but I hear nothing?

Algeria Telecom's international gateway filtering. The call routes through a gateway on the deny-list, the call setup succeeds, audio is silent in one or both directions. Hang up and redial, the next call usually routes via a different gateway and survives.