storm@texas.dk (Kim F. Storm) (06/08/89)
Starting May 16th, all area codes in Denmark were changed from the old 01 to 09 (where the 0 was left out on international calls) to area codes in the range 31 to 99, while the last 6 digits are the same for MOST subscribers. This has effectively expanded the numbers from 7 digit (+ leading 0) to 8 digit. The change was very well prepared, and everything has worked very well from day one. The reason for the change was that the old number scheme ran out of numbers in the Copenhagen area (which were split into two areas a couple of years ago). The old 7 digit numbers (+ 0) will work until January 1st 1990, and so will international calls using the old numbers (a time out is used to distinguish old 7 digit numbers from the new 8 digit numbers). The problem with the approach is that the assignment of new area codes is almost arbitrary in large areas. For example, 01 becomes any of 31, 32, through 39, 02 becomes 42, 43, ... 49, 03 becomes 52, 53, ...., etc. The only way you can know the new number is to lookup the old 7 digit number in a conversion table. The really funny thing about this number change is that except for the numbers in the central of Copenhagen, all area codes will change again sometime within the next 15 years as the centrals are replaced by digital exchanges, i.e. about 50000 numbers will change each year! So be prepared for problems dialing into Denmark for the next 15 years :-) The market has been flooded with programs (mainly for the PCs) which can go through files and replace phone numbers correctly. However, many companies use the phone number as account numbers for their customers, so I can imagine all sorts of problems if these programs are used by the average non-expert PC user. I think this example puts some perspective on the "oh no, now we have to use the 404 area code inside the 404 area" and similar debates. We went through the same excercise one year ago when the tel.co. prepared the transition to 8 digit numbers: We had to learn to use the 0N area code inside all 0N areas! I also think this demonstrates that Danes are very tolerant people. --- Kim F. Storm storm@texas.dk Tel +45 429 174 00 Texas Instruments, Marielundvej 46E, DK-2730 Herlev, Denmark No news is good news, but nn is better!