France sadly happens to be one of the most difficult countries to conduct VoIP (cloud based) calls to and from. This is due to the sheer number of regulations in place that combat a variety of matters ranging from anti-terrorism to anti-spam, and some that simply protect the incumbant operators from external competition. If you are based in France, this manifests itself as:
- Dropped calls
- Calls not coming in
- Calls not going out
- SMS being blocked
Here's an overview of why:
France’s telecom regulations around call termination —whether international VoIP or landline—are not permitted to be terminated unless certain legal or technical conditions are met.
Here are the prominent scenarios where such restrictions apply:
- Blocking of Overseas Telemarketing Calls Using Spoofed Local Numbers
Since July 2018, French telemarketing call centers located abroad are no longer allowed to call into France using French geographic or 09 numbers—a practice often known as "spoofing" to mask their overseas origin. This effectively blocks their ability to terminate calls into French networks from abroad using deceptive methods. This aligns with broader efforts to reduce unsolicited and fraudulent calls and tighten controls on who can originate calls appearing local. - Caller-ID Authentication via the Naegelen Law
Under the Naegelen Law, France has mandated the implementation of a STIR/SHAKEN-style framework for verifying caller identity. This law requires carriers to block any unauthenticated or "unsigned" calls. Therefore, if an overseas caller cannot authenticate properly, their call will be automatically rejected—i.e., not terminated. This framework requires carriers to verify caller ID authenticity—otherwise, the call is simply blocked by design. - Regulated Mobile Call Termination (MTR/SMS)
The regulator ARCEP imposes strict rules on mobile voice-call termination rates and SMS-termination fees. While this doesn't necessarily involve blocking outright, it sets maximum rates and ex-ante regulation to ensure fair access and to prevent operators from refusing to terminate calls, even international ones, unless interconnection terms are met.
What the Naegelen Law Does
Originally passed in 2020 to fight nuisance calls and caller ID spoofing.
It forbids call centers outside France from using French geographic numbers (01–05) or non-geographic 09 numbers when calling into France.
French operators are also required to block (not terminate) calls that don’t comply.
More recently, it’s been coupled with caller ID authentication (the French implementation of a STIR/SHAKEN-like system). If the caller’s number can’t be cryptographically verified, the call is dropped.
Impact on VoIP
Overseas VoIP trunks are the most affected. If your outbound CLI (caller ID) is a French number but the call originates abroad via SIP/VoIP, French carriers may reject the call outright.
Even some domestic VoIP setups fail if the provider isn’t properly registered in ARCEP’s databases or doesn’t support the new authentication headers.
This leads to reports of:
Calls ringing once then dropping.
Calls not connecting at all.
Numbers showing as "Invalid" to French recipients.
How to get around it
Sadly, there isn't much that can be done. Our webphone might help as it is able to get around some state firewalls, but our apps will likely be blocked from time to time. You can also try using a VPN, but VPNs are not always that reliable over VoIP. One supplier we like and know works with our service is Zoog, do give them a try here: https://zoogvpn.com/?utm_source=zoog_affiliate&utm_medium=revshare&utm_campaign=aff688b2b5895434&a_aid=688b2b5895434
