International access code changes?

Carrying on from some discussion in the "membership tags" thread can one of you telephonic experts answer me this:

In the UK and many other countries we dial 00 to start an international number.
In Korea and many other countries it is 001, and if I remember the dim and distant past, didn't it used to be this in the UK?
On Mobiles around the world we use +

Now, I'm sure I saw an advert on TV the other day, granted it was in Korean so I my have misunderstood, but I'm sure the jist of it was that 001 is being pushed as the international standard for dialing prefix and we'd all be changing.
Anyone else heard this? I goggled various combinations of this, but found nothing.

{mcuth: moved to Travel - General from Ask a Guru. Also made the title more reflective of the subject}

[preiffer]

Not heard of that initiative, but it'd certainly screw up the US and Canada if it did - their international access code is 011.. [:?][:0]

The advantage of using a '+' character is that it causes the switching software to insert the appropriate international access code automatically. This applies whether the code is 00, 001 or (as in some parts of Europe) 99, and frequent travellers generally find it worth putting all their numbers in international format (with a preceding +) in order to avoid having to change as they travel around. You can also use it from landline phones and VoIP services such as Skype.

I haven't heard of a plan to standardise international access around the world, but I hope this information is of some use.

Best wishes

David

Yes, I prefix all my numbers on my mobile and in Skype with + then i don't need to worry. I beleive it originated from Mobile networks having a different international exit prefix, and this was hidden "behind" the + sign.

As this topic isn't VS related, I'll move it to the Travel General forum

Cheers

Michael

Originally posted by PVGSLF
.. I'm sure the jist of it was that 001 is being pushed as the international standard for dialing prefix and we'd all be changing.

If they were to standardise then 001 would be a pretty silly choice as it is only used in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.

Wikipedia has a full list of codes and who uses them and it is pretty diverse with no suggestion of standardising.

Phil

Hmmmm. Must have been my lousey translation then![:?] Or maybe just a change to 001 within Korea.

Originally posted by PVGSLF
Hmmmm. Must have been my lousey translation then![:?] Or maybe just a change to 001 within Korea.

I think you've probably hit the nail on the head as the Wikipedia article mentions that South Korea uses a number of different codes.

Phil

Thanks for resolving that one Phil.

Now off to learn some of the more important words in Korean, such as Food and Beeeeeeeer[8D]

Originally posted by PVGSLF

Now off to learn some of the more important words in Korean, such as Food and Beeeeeeeer[8D]

In my experience, they understand "beeeer", spoken in the standard "english man travelling in asian country" accent, just as well as any other asian barmen!

If you like kimchi, you'll be fine, cos everything comes with it. If, like me, you think that it's possibly one of the most disgusting foods ever invented, try korean barbecue instead.

Chris

The kimchi is growing on me actually.... Kimchi fried rice has become a regular feature in my diet.... and i like the pork with everything philosophy... I'll be in the middle east after this gig, so it'll be good to get my fix of pork now!