Path: utzoo!utgpu!utstat!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!bionet!ames!killer!vector!telecom-gateway
From: Kenneth_R_Jongsma@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Australian Telephone System
Message-ID: <telecom-v09i0067m04@vector.UUCP>
Date: 19 Feb 89 00:52:03 GMT
Sender: news@vector.UUCP
Lines: 24
Approved: telecom-request@vector.uucp
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.uucp
X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 67, message 4 of 6

I have the good fortune of being able to travel to Australia next
month. While looking through a travel guide, I noticed the following
types of phone numbers listed for just one state (Victoria):

      617-0900
      345-3455
      620-331
      03/534-0316
      63-1062
      08/42-1563
      059/75-7568
      008/??????    (Apparently similar to North American 800 Service)

As you can see there doesn't appear to be any kind of formating involved! I
gather that the number prior to the / is a type of area code, but that
isn't always given or even the same number of digits. I would really
appreciate someone enlightening me how the phone works in Oz. Numbering
schemes, pay phone procedures, typical rates, etc. In other words,
a short tutorial to keep me from fumbling around would be
appreciated. Responses to the digest would be fine. I suspect
we do too much on the North American system and this would be
an interesting change...

ken@cup.portal.com