Writing your mobile number in Gmail

[Humes fork]

For Gmail, you can give a mobile phone number so in case you lose access to your account, you can demand that a text message be sent to that phone so you can recover it.

In one section, they ask me to choose in the click-down list which country I have, which is Sweden. Presumably this is to get the country number, +46.

However, it then asks me to give my mobile number. However, at least in Sweden (and I suspect that this is the case with other countries too), when we write the country number, the first zero in the original number is removed. So my mobile number, 0*********, when written together with the country number would be +46*********, that is, the first zero removed.

So when I write for Gmail, should I include the first zero or not? After all, it asks for these things in separate places.

 

[dtugg]

I would just write it how how people would normally write it when sending a text. The test it out. If it doesn't work, there are two other recovery options.

This whole dropping the first zero stuff seams a little pointless to me. Why have the zero, if you remove it? In the USA phone numbers are always a three digit area code followed by a seven digit phone number. You will have to dial a 1 (the country code) first if you are dialing a long distance number from a landline but that is it.

 

[Fishstick]

For Gmail, you can give a mobile phone number so in case you lose access to your account, you can demand that a text message be sent to that phone so you can recover it.

In one section, they ask me to choose in the click-down list which country I have, which is Sweden. Presumably this is to get the country number, +46.

However, it then asks me to give my mobile number. However, at least in Sweden (and I suspect that this is the case with other countries too), when we write the country number, the first zero in the original number is removed. So my mobile number, 0*********, when written together with the country number would be +46*********, that is, the first zero removed.

So when I write for Gmail, should I include the first zero or not? After all, it asks for these things in separate places.

I entered mine in the countrycode notation, eg +46**** instead of 0**** and have received notifications from Google fine.

 

[richardm]

Why have the zero, if you remove it?

In the UK and presumably elsewhere, the leading 0 indicates that you're making a Trunk Call - it's part of the Subscriber Trunk Dialling (STD) process, which meant that you could make domestic calls without going through an operator. In Ye Olden Days you would pick up the phone and by immediately connected to the operator, to whom you would state the number you wanted (sans 0) and she'd place the call for you. A number with a leading 1 will still take you to an operator.

If you're dialling internationally, it's not a domestic call so STD doesn't apply, so you drop the 0.

It seems a bit odd these days, but we're probably stuck with it for the foreseeable future. In these days of electronic exchanges you'd think it could be automatically figured out, but consistency is seen as more important than convenience.

 

[Foolmewunz]

Isn't the additional zero fairly active all across Europe?

What I'm trying to figure out here is why we haven't run out of numbers. We have over 8 million people and everyone has at least one mobile, and there have to be a couple of million land lines, but we get by just fine on eight digits. I assume they'll just add one when they get close to running out.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Move to a different country.

 

[rjh01]

Isn't the additional zero fairly active all across Europe?

What I'm trying to figure out here is why we haven't run out of numbers. We have over 8 million people and everyone has at least one mobile, and there have to be a couple of million land lines, but we get by just fine on eight digits. I assume they'll just add one when they get close to running out.

8 digits would in theory allow for almost 90 million numbers. This would be for land lines only. So 7 (not 8) digits would be all what is required for a region of 8 million people and 2 million landlines. If a person wants to dial outside of that region, then they dial a unique sequence that tells the system they are calling outside of that region.

Mobiles all start with a number that says it is a mobile number and not a land line.

 

[dtugg]

8 digits would in theory allow for almost 90 million numbers. This would be for land lines only. So 7 (not 8) digits would be all what is required for a region of 8 million people and 2 million landlines. If a person wants to dial outside of that region, then they dial a unique sequence that tells the system they are calling outside of that region.

I'm a little drunk so maybe I am missing something but wouldn't it be exactly 100 million possible numbers (00000000-99999999)

Mobiles all start with a number that says it is a mobile number and not a land line.

Not in the US. The format is exactly the same. My cell phone number is 520-XXX-XXXX and my home phone number is 808-XXX-XXXX. The area code is different only because I've had the same cell phone number for like 8 years and I didn't want to change it when I moved.

 

[Foolmewunz]

Duh! 8 digits. ##,###,### Yeah, I have no idea why I was still thinking in old USA 7s! My bad. (Dtugg: And you have to drop the first 9,999,999 for Hong Kong because no numbers here start with 0, ergo the first available number would be 10,000,000. )

 

[rjh01]

8 digits would in theory allow for almost 90 million numbers.<snip>

I'm a little drunk so maybe I am missing something but wouldn't it be exactly 100 million possible numbers (00000000-99999999)
<snip>

No. No local telephone number can begin with 0, otherwise the system might think that the person wants an STD, international or mobile number (Edit. As per Foolmewunz's post above). There would also be other reasons why every number cannot be used, such as a rule that certain number ranges are for specific local exchanges. Nor can a number start with the same number as the local emergency services. Nor can a local number start with 13 or 18 which are special numbers. Though that might be different in different parts of the world.

 

[Foolmewunz]

Yes, I meant, of course,.... "If the 10,000,000 series is available"... I don't think we have any numbers here starting with 1 - but can't be certain.

 

[Dan-au]

My number starts with 0403 so in the international format it's +61403

You always drop the leading zero if there is an area code in front of the number. For my land line the state area code is 08 so for a land line starting with 9401 it's +6189401.

I deal with overseas companies all the time and they never have problems calling me of vise versa. So unless Sweden has a dramatically different setup to everywhere else I'd say it's the same so you drop the leading zero. In either case Google may send you an SMS with a confirmation code to check the validity of the number.

 

[Cuddles]

No. No local telephone number can begin with 0, otherwise the system might think that the person wants an STD, international or mobile number

Actually, that's not true. No numbers currently begin with "0" because there were plenty of numbers to go around. But now that we're starting to run low on numbers, they're changing it so numbers can start with any number at all. Presumably this is easier than adding an additional number, which is what they did last time we started to run low on numbers.

 

[rjh01]

Actually, that's not true. No numbers currently begin with "0" because there were plenty of numbers to go around. But now that we're starting to run low on numbers, they're changing it so numbers can start with any number at all. Presumably this is easier than adding an additional number, which is what they did last time we started to run low on numbers.

That would mean people will have to use an extra three digits in their phone number. Just to avoid having an extra one digit added to their number. How silly.

 

[Cuddles]

That would mean people will have to use an extra three digits in their phone number.

Area codes are 5 digits.

Just to avoid having an extra one digit added to their number.

You do realise that changing the length of phone numbers will require a massive reorganisation of the entire phone network? All the hardware and software is designed to work with the current numbers, so longer numbers simply won't work without a lot of work. Area codes, on the other hand, already work just fine, so the only change is that people will have to use them for all calls.

Of course, the idea of people actually dialling numbers rather than just picking someone out of their contact list is rather quaint anyway.

How silly.

Yes. Perhaps you should have thought of that before posting it.

 

[rjh01]

Area codes are 5 digits.



You do realise that changing the length of phone numbers will require a massive reorganisation of the entire phone network? All the hardware and software is designed to work with the current numbers, so longer numbers simply won't work without a lot of work. Area codes, on the other hand, already work just fine, so the only change is that people will have to use them for all calls.

Of course, the idea of people actually dialling numbers rather than just picking someone out of their contact list is rather quaint anyway.



Yes. Perhaps you should have thought of that before posting it.

1. Numbers need to get in a contact list.
2. Not all numbers you want to use are in a contacts list. For example you want to call a trades-person then it is not likely to be in any contact list in your phone.
3. This only gives a few extra numbers, so they would probably have to have the extra digit anyway in a few years.
4. Please do not make posts personal, like your last comment.

 

[mhaze]

....the system might think that the person wants an STD.....

So the phone system can give you STDs now?

I drunk. But I sure ain't making any those kind of calls.

 

[Humes fork]

Okay so uhhm yeah, how should I write it? Include the first zero or not?

 

[zooterkin]

So when I write for Gmail, should I include the first zero or not? After all, it asks for these things in separate places.

Anywhere I've specified an international number, I've left off the zero because I've specified the '+' (which gets replaced by whatever the prefix for international dialling from where you're calling from).

If you're dialling internationally, it's not a domestic call so STD doesn't apply, so you drop the 0.

Really? Any time I dial an international number, I dial an extra zero, as the Phone Book says:

To make an international call all you need to do is:

1. Dial the International Access Code of the country you are calling from, e.g. from the UK this is '00'
2. Dial the Country Code for the country you are calling to e.g. for the USA this is '1'
3. Dial the Area Code (if there is one) e.g. for San Francisco this is '415'
4. Finally, dial the phone number of the person you want to call

So to call someone in San Francisco you should dial 00 1 415 and the number of the person you wish to call.

Are you saying it would work to dial without the '00'?

 

[rjh01]

So when I write for Gmail, should I include the first zero or not? After all, it asks for these things in separate places.

Anywhere I've specified an international number, I've left off the zero because I've specified the '+' (which gets replaced by whatever the prefix for international dialling from where you're calling from).

If you're dialling internationally, it's not a domestic call so STD doesn't apply, so you drop the 0.

Really? Any time I dial an international number, I dial an extra zero, as the Phone Book says:

To make an international call all you need to do is:

1. Dial the International Access Code of the country you are calling from, e.g. from the UK this is '00'
2. Dial the Country Code for the country you are calling to e.g. for the USA this is '1'
3. Dial the Area Code (if there is one) e.g. for San Francisco this is '415'
4. Finally, dial the phone number of the person you want to call

So to call someone in San Francisco you should dial 00 1 415 and the number of the person you wish to call.

Are you saying it would work to dial without the '00'?

No. I think you may have answered your own question in the first part of the post. The 0 that is dropped is part of the STD number. Example

STD number (02) 9234 5678
International +61 2 9234 5678

The 0 that is dropped is the 0 I have made bold. That is what richardm is saying.