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European Union Data Boundary (EUDB)

Azure Communication Services complies with European Union Data Boundary (EUDB) announced by Microsoft December 15, 2022.

This boundary defines data residency and processing rules for resources based on the data location selected when creating a new communication resource. When a data location for a resource is one of the European countries/regions in scope of EUDB, then all processing and storage of personal data remain within the European Union.

The EU Data Boundary consists of the countries/regions in the European Union (EU) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The EU countries/regions are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. The EFTA countries/regions are: Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.

Calling

Users can establish calls and meetings in various ways. We define a few terms:

  • Organizer: person who created the meeting, for example, set it up using Outlook
  • Initiator: the first person who joins the meeting (the meeting only exists as a calendar item before the first person joins it)
  • Guest: a participant who isn't a member of the tenant of the Organizer. May include a member of a different tenant, PSTN (dial-in) user, and so on. In this article, guest is specific to this description and broader than used within IC3 generally.
  • Call: refers to a 1:1 call and\or to a Group call to a larger group. For the purposes of this conversation, they should be the same.
  • Real Time Text (RTT): is an accessibility compliance requirement for voice and video platforms in the EU. For more information, see: Directive 2019/882.

For EU communication resources, when the organizer, initiator, or guests join a call from the EU, processing and storage of personal data is limited to the EU.

SMS

Azure Communication Services guarantees that SMS data within the EUDB is stored in EUDB regions. As of today, we process and store data in the Netherlands, Ireland, or Switzerland regions, ensuring no unauthorized data transfer outside the EEA (European Economic Area). Also, Azure Communication Services employs advanced security measures, including encryption, to protect SMS data both at rest and in transit. Customers can select their preferred data residency within the EUDB, making sure data remains within the designated EU regions.

Note

Azure Communication Services is regulated in the EU and UK as a provider of interpersonal communications services (ICS). Azure Communication Services complies with rules and regulations applicable to ICS in the EU and UK, as established in each Member State's national laws, including licensing or registration, annual revenue and statistical reporting, regulatory fees, security, telecommunications secrecy, CLI restrictions, data retention, anti-spam and anti-fraud measures, among many others.

SMS EUDB FAQ

What happens with SMS data in the UK?

While the UK is no longer part of the EU, Azure Communication Services processes data for the UK within the EUDB. As of today, data processing and storage occur within the Netherlands, Ireland, or Switzerland regions, maintaining compliance with EU regulations.

What happens when an SMS recipient is outside the EU?

If an SMS recipient is outside the EU, the core data processing and storage remain within the EUDB (Netherlands, Ireland, or Switzerland regions). However, for the SMS to be delivered, it may be routed through networks outside the EU, depending on the recipient's location and carrier, which is necessary for successful message delivery.

Can data be transferred to non-EU regions under any circumstances?

Yes, to deliver SMS to recipients outside the EU, some data routing may occur outside the EUDB. This routing is strictly for message delivery purposes. Data processing and storage at rest still comply with the EUDB regulations.

Messaging

All threads created from an EU resource process and store personal data in the EU.

For more information, see Microsoft EU Data Boundary Overview.