TABLE OF CONTENTS Any form of communication between members of a population requires that each person is identified by a name or a number, and an address signifying their location. In the case of telecommunications, the setup of telephone calls or the delivery of data packets is determined by the examination of the destination address and the application of the routeing rules for that network. Fortunately, there is universal adherence to the standards setting out the basic structures of the numbers and names for telephony and data/Internet services, respectively. Thus, every telephone line is identified by a unique number, potentially allowing any telephone to make unambiguous contact with any other telephone in the World; a truly remarkable achievement.
Interestingly, subscribers often become quite fond of their telephone number and there can be a pride in having particular initial digits, where these indicate a desirable area in town, perhaps. Similarly, e-mail and web page names are often considered prestigious. This means that there is value attached to certain numbers, particularly those easily remembered giving rise to the concept of 'golden numbers'. Also, subscribers do not like having to change their telephone numbers at the whim of the national administrators of the numbering scheme. Indeed, for business customers changing their telephone numbers can be an expensive undertaking involving new signage on vehicles, reprinting advertising brochures, and so on. Consequently, the seemingly dry subject of numbering and addressing does occasionally become quite emotive.
However, this chapter confines itself to considering how numbering and...
