Nick Demos wrote:

..........................

>2.  The pound sign or the asterick key could be used to
>    end a number (better than havng to dial the area code).
>3.  A pause of a certain length could be used to indicate the
>    number is complete:
>    A.  4 digits would mean it was within the exchange are.
>    B.  7 digits - in the area code area.
>           C.  10 digits - in the US.
>
>I believe some European cpuntries use the above method.
>
>And that's some ideas just for starters.  I am sure there are
>others that would allow us NOT to have to dial 10 digits for
>every US call.
>
I don't know whether European countries use item 2, but the US certainly
does when making overseas calls.  The number of digits is variable and the
end of the number is recognized by either a long pause or the pound sign
(called a hash sign in England).  Calls go through marginally faster if you
use the pound sign.  All my overseas numbers are set up this way in my dialer.

The way not to have to dial 10 digits for every call is to outlaw overlays
except maybe for cell phones and pagers, for which a geographical area code
has less meaning.  England uses special area codes for cell phones.  They
have been shuffling area codes for years just like the US and, at this
point, everyone can recognize a cell phone number by its area code.  This
is very important, because the CALLER pays the airtime, unlike the US where
the cell phone owner pays the airtime.

If you think this addressing scheme is wild, try X.25!  And, of course, IP
addresses are totally random, and are twelve digits long, when expressed in
a human-readable form.

John D. Alleyn-Day
Alleyn-Day International
408-286-6421   408-286-6474 (Fax)
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