Subscriber dialing for international traffic in Europe

As tourism, traffic, and the economy weld Western Europe more closely together, international telephone traffic has been increasing at a steady rate. Twenty-six administrations or operating agencies in 17 countries maintain a telephone network in which almost every technical concept has found application. This paper points up the differences between the various European systems, especially in the perspective of international subscriber dialing. Recent years have seen the emergence of a top-level, transitsuited network of uniform technical design, as recommended by the CCITT (The International Telephone and Telegraph Consultative Committee). This makes it possible to establish international connections in all directions with a minimum of adapting equipment. Although this network is suited for automatic traffic, it was started with semi-automatic switching. Subscriber trunk dialing began between bilaterally coordinated systems capable of use for terminal traffic as envisaged by the CCITT. Also described is the equipment used for international and intercontinental traffic by the German Federal Post Office.