[comp.dcom.telecom] Telephone Number Formats

CAPEK%YKTVMV.BITNET@cunyvm.cuny.edu (Peter G. Capek) (07/18/89)

I'm looking for a source of information on the formats of city codes (number
of digits), exchange numbers (number of digits), lengths of phone numbers,
and international access codes for (ideally, all) countries.  Information
about the form in which direct-inward-dialing is provided, if available,
would also be helpful.  Machine-readable would be ideal, but beggars can't
be choosers.

Separately, I'd like to ask a question about long distance access codes.  In
many countries, city codes are commonly quoted with a leading 0.  In all
cases that I know of, this leading 0 is really an access code, and isn't
intended to be used, for example, when the city code is dialed from outside
the country.  Is there any case in which this isn't true?  That is, is there
any country which has an city code which starts with a zero?

Peter Capek
IBM Research -- Yorktown Heights, NY

[Moderator's Note: We had a complete listing of international country codes
published here just a few issues ago. Perhaps the two fellows who compiled
the lists (one by country in alpha order; the other in numerical order)
would be so kind as to email a copy of each to Mr. Capek.  Thanks!     PT]

cjsv@uunet.uu.net (Christopher JS Vance) (07/21/89)

 From article <telecom-v09i0242m03@vector.dallas.tx.us>, by CAPEK%YKTVMV.
BITNET (Peter G. Capek):
> Separately, I'd like to ask a question about long distance access codes.  In
> many countries, city codes are commonly quoted with a leading 0.  In all
> cases that I know of, this leading 0 is really an access code, and isn't
> intended to be used, for example, when the city code is dialed from outside
> the country.  Is there any case in which this isn't true?  That is, is there
> any country which has an city code which starts with a zero?

I believe in Finland the code for the capital city is a 0.  Presumably they
use something else (like 9?) as an area code introducer.

Closer to home, Australian area codes all start with a 0 which is not dialled
when you come in from overseas.  However, some of the area codes start with
two 0s, e.g. Hobart is 002, so from the USA you'd dial something like:
	011 61 02 nx xxxx
to get a number in Hobart. If you leave off the 0 you'd get a number in Sydney:
	011 61 2 nx xxxx

But then local numbers in Sydney can be 5, 6 or 7 digits, so you might end up
not dialling a full number.