[net.dcom] International Packet Switching - Hel

dfk@unido.UUCP (06/07/85)

	>Supposedly you can
	>call in to your local access point in, say, Australia just as you would
	>with Telenet or Tymnet, then ask for any other PSN . You get connected
	>to, say, France and log on again with them (I am assuming you have
	>established accounts with these organizations). Then you ask for your 
	>end point address and - bingo! half way around the world.

Actually it's much simpler than that. There is a worldwide numbering plan
for data networks called CCITT X.121. Each net has it's four digit 
Identification Code called DNIC. The first three digits specify the
country (a country may have more than one 3-digit prefix).
The networks may use ten further digits to address their
customers.

If you want to get to unido's X.25 login ports from anywhere in the 
world you can just connect to 2624 5 2310 421 40. I did group
the digits for readability. The Germany X.25 net "Datex-P" uses 
a hierarchical structure inside. The 5 means a certain class of
subscribers I think. The 2310 is Dortmund's are code (same digits as
in the phone network but padded differently). 421 denotes our
subscriber line and finally we have 100 subaddresses that we use to
select hosts and services via an inhouse X.25 switch.

In Germany (and Europe in general) we are charged for all connections
by our PTTs who run the networks. They are supposed to take care of
the cashflow between them. So it's very convenient.

Here is a top level directory:

                   Data Network Identification Codes
 
204                    NL         Netherlands
206                    B          Belgium
2080                   TRANSPAC   French Transpac
208                    F          France
2141                   SPAIN      Spanish data network
214                    E          Spain
222                    I          Italy
228                    CH         Switzerland
232                    A          Austria
2341                   IPSS       IPSS UK network
2348                   TELEX      UK Telex network
234                    GB         United Kingdom
238                    DK         Denmark
2405                   SWEDEN     Swedish data network
240                    S          Sweden
2422                   NORWAY     Norwegian data network
242                    N          Norway
244                    SF         Finland
2624                   GERMANY    German data network
262                    D          Germany
268                    P          Portugal
270                    L          Luxembourg
272                    IRL        Ireland
3020                   DATAPAC    Canadian Datapac
3025                   GLOBEDAT   Canadian Globedat 
3029                   INFOSWITCH Canadian Infoswitch
302                    CDN        Canada
3103                   ITT        USA - ITT
3104                   WUI        USA - WUI
3106                   TYMNET     USA - Tymnet
3110                   TELENET    USA - Telenet
3113                   RCA        USA - RCA
3126                   AUTONET    USA - Autonet
340                    FA         French Antilles
342                    BDS        Barbados
425                    IL         Israel
4408                   VENUSP     Japanese data network
440                    J          Japan
454                    HK         Hong Kong
505                    AUS        Australia
525                    SGP        Singapore
530                    NZ         New Zealand
431                    DXB        United Arab Emirates - Dubai
426                    BRN        Bahrain
655                    ZA         South Africa

-Daniel Karrenberg <dfk@unido.uucp>