(keitai-l) Re: Japanese phone numbers

From: Jani PATOKALLIO <jpatokal_at_iki.fi>
Date: 01/23/01
Message-ID: <3A6D7060.60EAD7EF@iki.fi>
Lauren Baptist wrote:
> So, I have lots of questions about iMode, but at the moment, the most
> pressing one is in regards to Japanese phone numbers.  I'm trying to
> modify our iMode proxy to detect Japanese phone numbers in text and
> rewrite them as anchors with the prefix "tel:".  We do this in our
> HTML->WML proxy for U.S.-style phone numbers. 

I remain less than convinced that the tel:-link is a good idea --
I find it freaky when my phone starts to place a voice call after
clicking on a link.

> The trouble is that it's
> unclear to me exactly what format Japanese phone numbers have.  I've heard
> a variety of things, the scariest of which is that Japanese phone numbers
> typically have three parts--each of which could vary in length.

Mr. Arizono already described the basic numbering scheme, but note
your life will be made even more difficult by the fact that, unlike
the standard US "(123) 456-7890", there are dozens of ways of writing
Japanese phone numbers, both with single- and dual-byte characters to
boot.  The two numbers in my sig are the same, the first is for overseas
callers and the second for locals.  I could also write it 090-7722-3557,
(090) 7722-3557, 09077223557, or even the spectacularly perverse
090(7722)3557 often spotted on forms and questionnaires...
 
Cheers,
-- 
Jani PATOKALLIO / jpatokal@iki.fi / +81 90 7722 3557
Sanpo Laboratory, Mechano-Informatics Dept., University of Tokyo
ヤニ・パトカリオ / jani@sanpo.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp / 090 7722 3557
東京大学、工学系研究科、機械情報工学科、算法設計研究室

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Received on Tue Jan 23 13:30:13 2001