Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!casbah.acns.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: hpa@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Peter Anvin) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: International 800 Numbers? (was Re: Evolving Phone Number) Message-ID: Date: 3 Mar 91 00:17:58 GMT Sender: news@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Mr. News) Organization: Northwestern University Lines: 39 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 173, Message 7 of 9 Originator: telecom@delta.eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu Nntp-Posting-Host: hub.eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu In article our Moderator Notes: > [Moderator's Note: Some 800 numbers are international, but relatively > few in comparison to the total. The European versions of 'USA Direct' > operating in this country (allowing residents of other countries > visiting here to 'call home' and speak with an operator in their home > country in their native language, just like USA Direct in reverse) all > have 800 numbers assigned to them. And, there are a few others. PAT] Those 800 numbers aren't international at all! You cannot dial them outside the NANP. They are *national access numbers*, accessing an international gateway, but you can only dial them from one country/region. For example, in Sweden all such numbers have Swedish 020-XX XX XX numbers, even if they terminate in Sweden, Belgium or the USA. The question is, when can we dial: 011-800-45-XX XX XX from the USA, 009-800-45-XX XX XX from Sweden, 00-800-45-XX XX XX from the EEC, 010-800-45-XX XX XX from the UK, 990-800-45-XX XX XX from Finland, (hope I am correct about this one) all to reach the same number, terminating in Norway? That way one number, +800 45 XX XX XX would do for all countries. (I think Norway is 45, but I am taking it off the top of my head.) hpa = H. Peter Anvin (in case you wondered) * Heja Sverige! INTERNET: hpa@casbah.acns.nwu.edu FIDONET: 1:115/989.4 HAM RADIO: N9ITP, SM4TKN RBBSNET: 8:970/101.4 [Moderator's Note: Sorry I misunderstood the original question, I guess. If the above is how you are defining it, then no, there is no such thing as 'international 800'. PAT]