its ironic you should send this today, when 12
million people in london, england, had to learn
to dial 8 digits instead of 7 because of lack
of foresight from the telephone regualtor when
re-numbering less than a decade ago ...
France has increased the number of digits in telephone numbers several times
over the past 20 years, and it has always been without a hitch. Each time
the telco has prepared for a barrage of misdials, just in case, but they
have never materialized. Currently, numbers are ten digits long, everywhere
in the country, although the first digit is actually a selector for your
chosen local telco provider (0 = France Telecom, the historical operator).
-- Anthony