[comp.dcom.telecom] Another Clue to Possible E. German Prefixes

0002909785@mcimail.com (J. Stephen Reed) (05/31/90)

Some messages about a week ago dealt with Salomon Brothers opening an
office in East Germany, but with a telephone number that was prefixed
for a West German cellular exchange.  The original msg asked whether a
contingency plan with as-yet-unused prefixes was being put into effect
for East Germany, pending the reunification.

I may have a clue as to how they are thinking, from parallel facts in
the postal world.

West German postal codes are normally four digits, ranging from 1000
(West Berlin) to 7999.  An article in the Germany Philatelic Society
magazine noted that according to a Deutsche Bundespost bulletin some
years ago, the 8000s and 9000s are reserved for "other German
regions".  The editor of the magazine investigated further and found
that those numbers were, in fact, being held primarily for East
Germany.  Or, as they called it in the 50s and 60s, "die sogenannte
DDR" ("the so-called 'German Democratic Republic'").

(Digression: Note the word "primarily" in the last paragraph.  It
seems obvious that not all Federal Republic bureaucrats have given up
on getting back the territories now held by Poland, as Chancellor Kohl
now has given up, albeit under pressure.)

Since the Bundespost is the same PTT that controls the phone system, I
would be surprised if some codes for exchanges haven't been set aside
as well.  I seriously doubt that both country codes would persist
(unlike the two Yemens, or Tanzania).


Steve Reed * Liberty Network, Ltd. * P.O. Box 11296 * Chicago, IL 60611
0002909785@mcimail.com

pjd@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Peter J. Dotzauer) (05/31/90)

In article <8432@accuvax.nwu.edu> 0002909785@mcimail.com (J. Stephen
Reed) writes:

>West German postal codes are normally four digits, ranging from 1000
>(West Berlin) to 7999.  An article in the Germany Philatelic Society
>magazine noted that according to a Deutsche Bundespost bulletin some
>years ago, the 8000s and 9000s are reserved for "other German
>regions".  The editor of the magazine investigated further and found
>that those numbers were, in fact, being held primarily for East

Does that mean that Bavaria regained its independence? Bavaria has
8000 codes (in fact Munich is 8000).


Peter Dotzauer, Analyt.Cart.& GIS, Dept.of Geogr., OSU, Columbus, OH 43210-1361
    TEL +1 614 292 1357  FAX +1 614 292 6213  FIDO 1:226/330  CCnet mapvxa::pjd
      INTERNET pjd+@osu.edu  or  pjd@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu    [128.146.1.5]
        BITNET pjd@ohstvmb       UUCP ...!osu-cis!hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu!pjd

jas@uunet.uu.net (Jim Shankland) (06/02/90)

In article <8432@accuvax.nwu.edu> 0002909785@mcimail.com (J. Stephen
Reed) writes:

>West German postal codes are normally four digits, ranging from 1000
>(West Berlin) to 7999.  An article in the Germany Philatelic Society
>magazine noted that according to a Deutsche Bundespost bulletin some
>years ago, the 8000s and 9000s are reserved for "other German regions".

Not quite right.  Don't know about the 9000 series, but the 8000
series is used by Munich and surroundings (much of Upper Bavaria?).

jas

wtho@relay.eu.net> (06/06/90)

In article <8576@accuvax.nwu.edu> mtxinu!Ingres.COM!jas@uunet.uu.net
writes:

|In article <8432@accuvax.nwu.edu> 0002909785@mcimail.com (J. Stephen
|Reed) writes:

|>West German postal codes are normally four digits, ranging from 1000
|>(West Berlin) to 7999.  An article in the Germany Philatelic Society
|>magazine noted that according to a Deutsche Bundespost bulletin some
|>years ago, the 8000s and 9000s are reserved for "other German regions".

|Not quite right.  Don't know about the 9000 series, but the 8000
|series is used by Munich and surroundings (much of Upper Bavaria?).

As I heard from West German news two weeks ago, Germany is going to
have five-digits postal codes after the unification.  District
post-office numbers will then be integrated in the codes (West Germany
has always been an exception herein).


Tom Hofmann        wtho%cgch@relay.EU.net