and receive calls from there—just like you're at home

No. You do not need an Ethiopian SIM card or an Ethio Telecom SIM card to use ethioCall.
You can use ethioCall from another country via the internet. With an active paid package, ethioCall provides you with a virtual Ethiopian phone number (+251) — no physical SIM card is required for this number.
With ethioCall, you can call regular phone numbers in Ethiopia, and your family and friends in Ethiopia can call you on your virtual number.

Yes. Your Ethiopian number remains active as long as your plan is valid.
You can renew your plan before it expires to keep your number.

ethioCall is available in multiple countries worldwide. You can call Ethiopia from the United States, Canada, South Africa, Israel, Yemen, Kenya, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, India, Rwanda, and Somalia.
We are working on expanding to more countries soon.

The cost per minute depends on the package you choose. The larger the package, the lower the cost per minute — starting from $0.10 per minute.
Minutes from your package are used:
• when you call Ethiopia;
• when someone in Ethiopia calls your ethioCall virtual number.
This means your calling package is used for calls in both directions.

Call quality depends on your internet connection.
With stable Wi-Fi or 4G/5G, calls are clear and stable.

We use industry-standard security measures to protect your account and personal information.

Users can request permanent deletion of their account directly within the app.

How to delete your account:
- Open ethioCall
- Navigate to Account
- Tap Settings
- Select User Info
- Tap Delete Account
- Confirm by selecting Delete Forever

What happens when you delete your account:
- Your account will be permanently deleted
- All personal data associated with your account will be removed
- Call history and account-related information will be deleted
- Your virtual number, added packages, and purchase history linked to your home number will be deleted within 1 hour
- This action cannot be undone

Additional information:
- Account deletion can only be performed from within the app by the account owner
- You must be logged into your account to request deletion
- Deletion is processed immediately after confirmation

If you don't have a bank card, you can still buy minutes using a Google Play Gift Card (Android) or an Apple Gift Card (iPhone).

Important: The country/region of your Gift Card must match the country/region of your Google Play or Apple App Store account. Otherwise, the gift card cannot be redeemed.

Android (Google Play)
1.Buy a Google Play Gift Card.
2.Open EthioCall and tap Buy Minutes.
3.On the Google Play payment screen, tap Redeem code.
4.Enter your gift card code.
5.Complete your purchase.
iPhone (Apple)
1.Buy an Apple Gift Card.
2.Open the App Store.
3.Tap your profile picture.
4.Select Redeem Gift Card or Code.
5.Redeem your gift card.
6.Return to EthioCall and tap Buy Minutes.

Google Play and Apple Gift Cards are available at many supermarkets, convenience stores, electronics retailers, and online as digital Gift Cards.

You can also use these links to find retailers:
• Google Play Gift Card
• Apple Gift Card

Payments for packages are made directly in the ethioCall app.
After selecting a package, tap the payment button. You will see the payment methods available for your device and region. These may include debit or credit cards, your Google Play / App Store balance, and other payment methods supported by Google Play or the App Store in your country.
The payment is not deducted from your mobile phone balance.
If you have a Google Play Gift Card, you can add it to your Google Play balance and use it to purchase a package. See “How can I pay with cash?” above.
Available payment methods may vary by country. We are working to expand payment options in regions where some methods are currently unavailable.

To make calls to Ethiopia, purchase a calling package in the ethioCall app.
Allow ethioCall access to your contacts. You will then see contacts from your phone book with Ethiopian phone numbers and can select the person you want to call directly from the app.
You can call regular mobile and landline numbers in Ethiopia - the person you are calling does not need to have ethioCall installed.
During the call, minutes are deducted from your package. You can continue making calls as long as you have minutes remaining in your package.

After purchasing a calling package in ethioCall, you receive a virtual Ethiopian phone number. You can find your number in the Account section of the app.
Share this number with your family or friends in Ethiopia. They can call it just like a regular Ethiopian phone number — they do not need to install the ethioCall app.
When someone calls your virtual number:
• For you: minutes are deducted from your ethioCall package for the duration of the call.
• For the person calling from Ethiopia: the call is charged by their mobile operator as a regular domestic call within Ethiopia.
You can receive calls as long as you have available minutes in your ethioCall package.

Your Ethiopian virtual number is provided when you have an active paid ethioCall package.
You can find your virtual number:
• at the top of the Account section;
• or go to Account → Settings → User info.
You can share this number with your family and friends in Ethiopia so they can call you just like they would call a regular Ethiopian phone number.

No. ethioCall is designed for voice calls only.
You cannot send or receive SMS or text messages through the app. Your virtual Ethiopian number can only be used for calls.

If you don’t receive a verification code via WhatsApp or Telegram, please wait for the current registration attempt to finish.
After that, ethioCall will automatically offer you another available way to receive the verification code.
Try the alternative method offered and complete your registration.

ethioCall calling packages are consumable in-app purchases. Refund eligibility depends on the policies of the store where the purchase was made.
If you purchased a package through Google Play, you can review the refund policy and submit a refund request through Google Play.
Request a refund on Google Play
If you purchased a package through the App Store, you can submit a refund request through Apple’s Report a Problem service.
Request a refund from the App Store
Refund eligibility is determined by Google Play or Apple according to their respective policies.

No. ethioCall is not Ethio Telecom and does not manage Ethio Telecom SIM cards or phone numbers.
We cannot restore an old SIM card or phone number, top up your Ethio Telecom balance, or make changes to your SIM card.
For questions related to your Ethio Telecom SIM card, phone number, or balance, please contact Ethio Telecom directly.