Staying connected with family and friends in South Sudan matters deeply, whether you are South Sudanese and living in Europe or have loved ones across the border. Making an international call to South Sudan can feel complicated at first, with unfamiliar dialing codes, high costs, and unreliable connections standing in the way of a simple conversation. This guide answers the most common questions about how to call someone in South Sudan, so you can spend less time figuring it out and more time actually talking.
What is the country code for South Sudan?
The country code for South Sudan is +211. This is the international dialing prefix you need to add before any South Sudanese phone number when calling from abroad. South Sudan received its own country code after gaining independence in 2011, making it one of the newer country codes in the world.
When you see a local South Sudanese number, it typically starts with a mobile network prefix such as 09 or 07. When dialing internationally, you drop the leading zero and replace it with the country code. So a number written locally as 0912 345 678 becomes +211 912 345 678 when dialed from Europe.
How do you dial a South Sudan number from Europe?
To call a South Sudan number from Europe, follow this structure: dial your international exit code, then 211, then the local number without the leading zero. In most European countries, the exit code is 00, so a full number would look like 00 211 912 345 678. On a mobile phone, you can simply use the + symbol instead of the exit code.
Here is a simple step-by-step guide:
- Press + (or dial 00 from a landline)
- Enter the South Sudan country code: 211
- Drop the first zero from the local number
- Dial the remaining digits
For example, if someone in Juba gives you the number 0955 123 456, you would dial +211 955 123 456. Most calling apps handle this format automatically, which removes the guesswork entirely.
Why are international calls to South Sudan so expensive?
International calls to South Sudan tend to be more expensive than calls to many other African countries because of limited telecommunications infrastructure, higher wholesale routing costs, and fewer competing carriers operating in the country. These factors combine to push per-minute rates higher than destinations with more developed networks.
South Sudan’s telecommunications sector is still growing, and the routing of international calls often passes through multiple network operators before reaching the recipient. Each handoff in the chain adds cost. Traditional phone carriers pass these costs directly to the caller, often without transparency about how the final rate is calculated. This is why many diaspora communities look for specialist calling apps that negotiate better wholesale rates and pass the savings on to users.
What is the cheapest way to call South Sudan?
The cheapest way to call South Sudan is to use an internet-based calling app that offers discounted rates to East African destinations. These apps route your call over the internet rather than through traditional phone networks, which significantly reduces the cost per minute. Looking for apps that offer weekly deals or promotional rates on specific days can reduce your costs even further.
When comparing options, keep these points in mind:
- Check the per-minute rate, not just the headline price
- Look for apps with no connection fees or hidden charges
- Find out whether the app uses per-second or per-minute billing, as per-second billing is fairer for shorter calls
- Check whether weekly deals are available for South Sudan specifically
- Make sure the recipient does not need to download anything to receive your call
As a point of reference, FroggyTalk’s Saturday deal for South Sudan offers calls at €0.35 per minute, giving you 28 minutes of talk time for a standard credit amount. That is a straightforward, predictable way to budget your calls without any surprises on your bill.
Do you need internet to call someone in South Sudan?
It depends on which side of the call you are looking at. If you are the caller based in Europe, yes, you need an internet connection to use a VoIP or internet calling app. However, the person you are calling in South Sudan does not need internet or a smartphone. They simply receive the call on their regular mobile or landline number, just like any other incoming call.
This distinction is important for the South Sudanese diaspora in Europe. Many family members back home may not have smartphones or reliable data connections, but that is not a barrier. As long as you have a decent Wi-Fi or mobile data connection on your end, the call goes through to any standard phone number in South Sudan. A stable Wi-Fi connection generally provides the best call quality, though 4G mobile data works well too.
What calling app works best for South Sudan?
The best calling app for reaching South Sudan is one that offers clear per-minute rates, no hidden fees, reliable call quality, and does not require the recipient to have the app installed. Apps built specifically for diaspora communities tend to perform better for East African destinations than general-purpose apps because they focus on the routes and quality that matter most to those communities.
General apps like WhatsApp or Messenger require the other person to have the app and an internet connection. If your contact in South Sudan uses a basic phone or has limited data access, those options simply will not work. A dedicated international calling app routes the call to any phone number, making it far more practical for staying in touch with family across different levels of tech access.
How FroggyTalk helps you call South Sudan
We built FroggyTalk specifically for diaspora communities who want affordable, reliable calls back home without the confusion of hidden fees or complicated setups. Calling South Sudan through our app is straightforward, transparent, and designed around what actually matters to you: real minutes, real conversations, and feeling heard.
Here is what makes calling South Sudan with us different:
- Saturday deal at €0.35 per minute, giving you 28 minutes for a standard credit top-up
- No hidden fees or connection charges, so the rate you see is the rate you pay
- Per-second billing on standard calls, so you are never charged for time you did not use
- The recipient needs no app or internet, just their regular phone number
- The entire app can be used in your local language, including Arabic, Hausa, English, French, and more
We want every call to feel easy, every minute to count, and every person on both ends of the line to feel seen and connected. Ready to get started? Check our current calling rates for South Sudan or reach out to us if you have any questions. You can also explore our full international calling service to see all the destinations we cover.