covert@covert.enet.dec.com (John R. Covert 01-Sep-1989 0944) (09/01/89)
>Does that mean there is a limit of digits for international numbers? >I know 8-digit numbers in West Germany within a 3-digit area code >(the leading 0 not included). Adding the country code (2 digits) >yields to a 13-digit international number. Is such a number not >dialable from abroad? CCITT recommendation E.163 calls for a maximum of 12 digits on international numbers. Back when the city code for Vienna was 222 (it's now either 222 or 1 from outside the country), several of our offices there had 13 and 14 digit numbers, and extensions could not be dialled from abroad. The problem was somewhat mitigated by the requirement in Austria that if not enough digits arrive at a PBX, the call simply goes to the attendant. No. 1 and 1A ESS, No. 2 ESS, and No. 5 ESS have a limit of 12 digits. I have also tested from exchanges in the U.K. and found the same 12 digit limit. Calls to those 13-digit international numbers have to be placed via an operator (but since they're not diallable, you get the direct dialled rate). /john