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From: U5437880@ucsvc.ucs.unimelb.edu.au
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: New Area Codes and Intl. Dialling
Message-ID: <14934@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 24 Nov 90 08:42:51 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 843, Message 9 of 9


In article <14680@accuvax.nwu.edu>, og@chorus.fr (Olivier Giffard)
writes:

> I've just tried to dial a number in the 917 area code (non existent
> yet) from France. I got a French intercept message just after dialing
> the 7 of 917 saying that this code was not in service. What means has
> a switch in France to know that. There must be some kind of table to
> look up in; but then how is it updated?  In particular I'm wondering
> whether area code 917 will be available from France the very second it
> is put in service. I suppose there must be some kind of cooperation
> between ?BellCore? and foreign Telecom companies?  Can anyone comment
> on this?

In Australia we used to get a nice OTC (international carrier) message
which ran "We think you have dialled an incorrect country or area
code. Please check the number before you try again."  Now Telecom
Australia intercepts with a bored recording: "The number you have
dialled is not connected.  Please check the number before calling
again."  This is exactly the same message you get if you misdial a
local or LD call.

Why is there an intercept?  So the company which catches the wrong
number does not have to foot the bill for bandwidth to find out the
number is not connected.  Invalid area codes are the simplest to
check, since they change slowly, and there is a relatively small
number of valid possibilities.

After London split from 01 into 071 and 081 OTC implemented a full
conversion table, so dialling +44 1 xxx will tell you whether to dial
71 or 81.  If you dial the wrong one, you also get the correct
intercept.  For most prefixes the intercept comes in after three
prefix digits, for some only two are needed.

Try dialling 19 44 81 603 xxxx, and see if you get a French intercept.
I bet you will.


Danny


[Moderator's Note: I just now tried it from Chicago, USA. It accepted
the entire number (that is, 011-44-81-603-four more), and the response
to me on each of several attempts was the same recorded announcement:
You call cannot be completed by the telephone company in the country
you are calling at this time. Please try your call again later."
Interestingly, my call had left Chicago, gotten out of the USA and was
sitting in limbo somewhere. Instead of playing the French recording to
me, when AT&T heard something 'go wrong' over there, it yanked the
connection back and played an English language message instead.  PAT]