| 1960 first Pan European Direct Dialing 1954 In North America it is no longer necessary to go through an operator to place long distance phonecalls within North America. The North American Numbering Plan is set up. 1960 a first Pan European and Mediterranian Numbering plan was established to make it possible to place phonecolls within Europe and around the Mediterranian without operator . The system was a precursor for today's World phone system. Two digit country codes were attributed to 40 countries. Codes started with +20 for Poland and ended with +69 for Russia.
Jacques Marette, later the French Minister of Postes and Telecommunications understands the impact of an easy phone number and he manages to get the double digit +33 country code for France. |
Country Codes under the first System
According to the Legend the General de Gaulle (president from 1944-1946 and again 1959 - 1969) considered phonelines in private households as something not necessary. 1955 France has only 2 million phonelines. A new phone customer needs to wait 3 years to get connected. Les Demoiselles du Téléphone (Operators) could be reached by dialing 11 - they were manually connecting phonecalls. Impossible to dial a number directly. |
| 1964 International Direct Dialing In 1964 it becomes evident that a global Numering sheeme is necessary including all countries of the World While the International Direct Dial system is set up. PTT Minister Jacques Marette uses his influence so that France can keep the easy to remember double digit country code +33
Only 4 countries manage to have a double digit country code |
1969 first Moon Landing
In the US Telecommunications very advanced. |
