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International Rates

Exotel supports international voice calls and SMS to over 200 countries. International rates vary by destination country, call type, and your plan. This guide explains how international billing works and provides rate references by zone.

How International Billing Works​

International calls and SMS are billed at destination-specific rates that are separate from your domestic rate card. Key differences from domestic billing:

AspectDomesticInternational
Voice pulse duration60 seconds (standard)60 seconds (standard)
Per-pulse ratePlan-based flat rateVaries by destination country
SMS rateFlat per-message rateVaries by destination country
Caller IDExoPhone number displayedMay be modified by destination carrier
Call qualityDomestic routingInternational routing via carrier partners
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International calling must be enabled on your account. Contact your account manager or raise a support ticket to activate international calling capabilities.

Rate Zones​

Exotel organizes international destinations into zones for simplified rate management:

Zone 1 -- South Asia​

CountryVoice (per pulse, INR)SMS (per message, INR)
Bangladesh3.00 -- 5.001.50 -- 2.50
Sri Lanka4.00 -- 6.001.50 -- 2.50
Nepal3.50 -- 5.501.50 -- 2.50
Pakistan4.00 -- 6.002.00 -- 3.00
Bhutan4.00 -- 6.002.00 -- 3.00

Zone 2 -- Southeast Asia​

CountryVoice (per pulse, INR)SMS (per message, INR)
Singapore2.50 -- 4.001.00 -- 2.00
Malaysia3.00 -- 5.001.50 -- 2.50
Indonesia3.50 -- 5.501.50 -- 2.50
Thailand3.00 -- 5.001.50 -- 2.50
Philippines4.00 -- 6.002.00 -- 3.00
Vietnam3.50 -- 5.501.50 -- 2.50

Zone 3 -- Middle East​

CountryVoice (per pulse, INR)SMS (per message, INR)
UAE3.00 -- 5.001.00 -- 2.00
Saudi Arabia4.00 -- 6.001.50 -- 2.50
Qatar4.00 -- 6.001.50 -- 2.50
Oman5.00 -- 7.002.00 -- 3.00
Kuwait4.00 -- 6.001.50 -- 2.50
Bahrain4.00 -- 6.001.50 -- 2.50

Zone 4 -- North America & Europe​

CountryVoice (per pulse, INR)SMS (per message, INR)
United States2.00 -- 3.501.00 -- 2.00
Canada2.00 -- 3.501.00 -- 2.00
United Kingdom2.50 -- 4.001.00 -- 2.00
Germany3.00 -- 5.001.50 -- 2.50
France3.00 -- 5.001.50 -- 2.50
Australia3.00 -- 5.001.50 -- 2.50

Zone 5 -- Africa & Others​

CountryVoice (per pulse, INR)SMS (per message, INR)
South Africa4.00 -- 6.002.00 -- 3.00
Kenya5.00 -- 8.002.50 -- 4.00
Nigeria5.00 -- 8.002.50 -- 4.00
Egypt5.00 -- 7.002.00 -- 3.00
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Rates shown are indicative ranges and may vary based on your plan, volume commitments, and the specific carrier route. Always check your account dashboard or contact your account manager for your exact rates.

Checking Your Exact Rates​

Via Dashboard​

  1. Log in to my.exotel.com
  2. Navigate to Billing > Rate Card
  3. Select International tab
  4. Search by country name or country code
  5. View your per-pulse voice rate and per-SMS rate for that destination

Via Account Manager​

For enterprise accounts with custom international rate cards, contact your account manager for:

  • Complete rate card in Excel format
  • Country-specific routing options (premium vs. standard routes)
  • Volume discount eligibility for international destinations

International Call Behavior​

Caller ID Display​

ScenarioWhat the Recipient Sees
Standard international callYour ExoPhone number or a generic international prefix
Country-specific CLIA local number in the destination country (where available)
CLI restricted"International" or "Unknown" depending on the destination carrier
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Caller ID display for international calls depends on the destination country's regulations and the terminating carrier's policies. Not all countries support full CLI pass-through.

International Call Quality​

Exotel partners with multiple international carriers to ensure reliable call quality:

Route TypeQualityRate
PremiumHighest quality, direct carrier interconnectsHigher per-pulse rate
StandardGood quality, multi-hop routingStandard per-pulse rate
CLI routeDisplays your number to the recipientPremium rate applies
Non-CLI routeMay show "Unknown" to recipientStandard rate

International SMS Considerations​

Sender ID​

  • International SMS sender IDs are subject to destination country regulations
  • Some countries require pre-registered alphanumeric sender IDs
  • Others may override your sender ID with a short code or long code

Character Encoding​

  • GSM-7 encoding (standard Latin characters): 160 characters per SMS
  • UCS-2 encoding (Unicode, non-Latin scripts): 70 characters per SMS
  • Concatenated messages are billed as multiple SMS units

Country-Specific Restrictions​

CountryRestriction
ChinaRequires pre-approved templates and sender registration
UAEMarketing SMS requires prior recipient consent
Saudi ArabiaSender ID registration mandatory
United States10DLC registration required for A2P messaging

Cost Optimization for International Usage​

  1. Use premium routes selectively -- Reserve premium routes for critical business calls where call quality and CLI display are essential
  2. Batch international SMS -- Send international SMS in batches to qualify for volume discounts
  3. Consider WhatsApp -- For countries with high SMS costs, WhatsApp Business API may be more cost-effective for customer communication
  4. Monitor usage patterns -- Review international usage reports monthly to identify optimization opportunities
  5. Negotiate enterprise rates -- If your international volume exceeds 10,000 pulses/month, request an enterprise rate card

Enabling International Calling​

International calling is not enabled by default. To activate:

  1. Raise a support ticket or contact your account manager
  2. Specify the countries you need to reach
  3. Choose your preferred route type (premium or standard)
  4. International calling is typically activated within 24 -- 48 hours