This idea is inspired by international call identity, given that most phones these days use keypads (complete with the letters) rather than dials why not change the international dialling codes to the 2 or 3 letter country identity code Switzerland (CH) would become 24 the UK (GB) would become 42 etc. Given the fact that some will double up due to the use of only 8 numbers you could in those cases treat the number as an sms key push b= 22, c=222.
-- engineer1, Jun 30 2004

I'm not sure which country identity code you would be referring to that would be limited to 2 or 3 characters. The identity code used for cars can be 1 character as well. Internet codes as far as I am aware are all 2 char.

To the idea, any sort of dialling code that is ambiguous will not be effective (and is not logical)... ie if one country has code 22 (B Belgium), and another has 222 (C Cuba), this precludes country 22 from having any local numbers or area codes that start with a '2'.

The beauty of the existing system lies in each country having a unique 2 or 3 digit identifier (North American & Caribbean zone '1' countries excepted) that is also aligned to the continent/region; ie 2-- Africa, 3-- & 4-- Europe, 5-- South America, 6-- South Pacific/Oceania, 8-- & 9-- Asia, Middle East. Russia/Kazakhstan with code 7 another exception...

If you have another way to get around the ambiguity problem maybe you are onto something. The problem is doing it without creating longer numbers.

(neutral)
-- Lacus Trasumenus, Jun 30 2004


But not all countries call themsleves by the names others call them by, i.e. Deutschland vs. Germany, Nippon vs. Japan, etc.
-- 5th Earth, Jul 01 2004


How is that relevant, [5th Earth]?
-- Lacus Trasumenus, Jul 01 2004


True 5th i am under the impression that the country identifier codes generally use the countries mother tongue for the identifier.
-- engineer1, Jul 01 2004


I think the point that 5th is making is that the posted idea sounds like all you need to know is the countries name to work out the code. When actually it is slightly more complicated as you need to know the code in the language of the country you are calling. So you would probably have to end up looking the code up to be sure. Therefore negating the whole point of the system in the first place. Therefore. bone.
-- etherman, Jul 01 2004



random, halfbakery