The Irish Telephone System

by Wanko the Inane

The current state of the phone network in Ireland is debatable at this moment in time.  Indeed the current state of Telecom Eireann - the company with a full monopoly that governs the network - is also debatable as one of the political parties (Fine Gael) is attempting to abolish their monopoly status.

Terrestrial access to Europe is provided on the TE-BT1 fiber optic system and the eastbound leg of the PTAT-1 cable.  Satellite services to Europe are provided via the Eutelsat system, while Earth stations in the Netherlands enable Telecom Eireann to access the Far East.  A PTAT-1 cable spur landing in Cork and Telecom Eireann's holdings in the TAT cable systems provide diverse independent fiber optic routes to North America.  Dedicated satellite links with North America are provided via Intelsat Business Services (IBS) earth stations in Galway and Limerick.

There are now very few analogue lines in use, as these have been upgraded through digital lines to fiber optic cables.  Which medium is used during a phone call is dependent on the root or Subscriber Trunk Dialing (STD) code of the receiver.

"AT&T Ireland is promoting its new Global Software Defined Network (GSDN) which provides a virtual private phone network for international calls, fax, and dial-up data traffic.  It gives customers 7-digit international dialing, detailed call management reports, and very significant discounts on international calls.  The system is to be interconnected with Telecom Eireann's International Virtual Private Network (IVPN).  Switched Data and Image (SDI) networking facilitates video-conferencing with the USA, data files and CAD or CAM applications transmission, and interconnecting LANs.  Customers of this joint AT&T/Telecom Eireann service are now able to dial-up high speed digital links on demand."

"Eircell GSM will offer you the same freedom, all over Europe.  Eircell GSM is part of a new, integrated, pan-European digital mobile telephone system.  One number will find you, right across Europe.  Digital transmission means a new quality of sound, the ability to transmit and receive data as well as speech and a new level of privacy and security.  The new Europe means we've now got a home market of 360 million.  If you want to talk business with them, talk to use first...  Freephone 1800-225588."

The Network

Of the sample taken in Waterford, it may be extrapolated that the most used type of exchange in Ireland is the Ericsson E10.

Ericsson E10 Exchanges: 41 Capacity: 41,974 Ericsson AXE Exchanges: 22 Capacity: 25,472 Ericsson ARF Exchanges: 7 Capacity: 14,600 Ericsson ARK Exchanges: 55 Capacity: 22,000 Other Exchanges: 6 Capacity: 3,015

The E10 and AXE exchanges are the only digital ones in use, the others are analogue "crossbars" in nature.

Gimmicks

There are many gimmicks available to those on digital exchanges.  Examples being:

• Call Diversion
• Call Waiting
• Hotline
• 24-Hour Alarm System

to mention but a few of those available.

The 24-Hour Alarm System is activated on digital exchanges by typing in: *55*HHMM# and then listening for a return tone and finally replacing the handset.

Payphones

The old rotary style payphone is identified by its very robust design and (very often) its black enamel flaking off of it.  These are very hard to find nowadays and really are a collector's item.  It can now only accept 10p and 50p coins (as most other coins have been replaced by smaller versions).

With these old rotary machines it is possible by depressing the switcharm rapidly to phone any destination without costing any money (except of course where Telecom Eireann's concerned).

The remaining types of payphones are essentially the same, as far as the type of dialing goes anyway.  These are keypad payphones but are not the R-type keypad which many of the gimmicks described above necessitate.  In other words, not all of the gimmicks described above are available for use from a payphone.

Of these types the units are paid for via coinage (i.e., Payphone 50/400), smartcards or credit cards.  The smartcard and credit type payphones are relatively new as they were introduced to the system only two years ago.

The smartcard payphones are, like the coinage ones, available for use on the streets and in pubs.  The cards themselves are available in units of ten ($2), twenty ($3.50), fifty ($8), and a hundred ($16) on them.

The credit card payphones are, like the old rotary payphone, a collector's item and are available for use only in upmarket areas such as hotels, restaurants and even museums.  (e.g. The Modern Art Museum at the Royal Kilmainham Hospital in Dublin.)  As mentioned in the article on the Australian Phone System (Spring 1992), a PIN is required to use this type of payphone.

Special numbers, Operator assistance, etc.

010 Advice of duration and charge. Reverse-charge request. Personal calls. Alarm calls. Telecard service. 017 Ringback number (characterised by a continuous ringing.) 088 Mobile telephone service (Eircell) prefix. 114 International calls assistance excluding Britain. Audio conference calls. International reverse charge request. International personal calls. International advice of duration and charge. Connection to Satellite Radio Maritime service, Inmarsat call. Connection to Coastal Radio Station service. 191 Repair service. Operator assistance. 196 Telemessage and International telegrams. 999 Emergency number. (Police, Ambulance, Fire Brigade, Boat & Coastal, Mountain & Cave) This is roughly equivalent to the U.S. 911 phone number. 1190 Direct inquiries within the whole of Ireland. 1191 The Speaking Clock (24-hour format, at 10 second intervals). 1197 Direct inquiries within all of Britain. Codes for British exchanges. 1800 The code prefix for Freephone numbers. 1850 The code prefix for Eirpage relays (pagers).

Long Distance Operators - To Ireland

0014-881-353 from Australia 078-110-353 from Belgium 1800-463-2050 from Canada 800-10-353 from Denmark 9800-10-353 from Finland 1900-353 from France 0130-800-353 from Germany 8000-353 from Hong Kong 177-353-2727 from Israel 1720-353 from Italy 0039-353 from Japan 0800-0-353 from Luxembourg 06-0220-353 from Netherlands 000-953 from New Zealand 900-990-353 from Spain

I think you get the idea!

Long Distance Operators - From Ireland

00-61 to Australia 00-61-2 to Sydney, Australia 00-32 to Belgium 00-34 to Spain 00-44 to the U.K. 00-31 to the Netherlands

Electronic Directory Service (EDS)

This service offers to the paying public a Minitel package where any telephone number (excluding ex-directory numbers) may be looked up via the software.

There are three options:

• Surname + STD code giving a range of possible numbers.
• Surname, first name + STD code.
• Surname, first name, address + STD code.

By being more precise the range is narrowed down until finally only one number is listed on the screen.

Minitel operates at a baud rate of 9600.