From: awl@world.std.com (Andy W Lafleur)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Characters on International Phone Keypads - Compilation
Date: 21 Nov 92 20:44:00 GMT
Organization: TELECOM Digest
X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 12, Issue 864, Message 4 of 15

I need to internationalize a product which contains a phone keypad.
From the research I have been able to do so far, it appears that a
twelve key, four row * three column arrangement is pretty typical of
keypads in various countries, and looks like:

  1 2 3
  4 5 6
  7 8 9
  * 0 #

There is, however, a lot of variation between countries as to whether
alphabetic characters are also present with the numerals on these
keypads; and where the alphabetic characters exist, there is much
variation in the placement of different characters. CCITT Recommen-
dation E.161 indicates that such variation is permis sible, however, I
would like to determine what exactly these variants are. (There has
been an ongoing discussion thread in comp.human-factors on this
subject for those who are interested.)

I'd like to survey telecom readers in different countries to compile
these differences, and will post the results for any other people
interested. So if you co uld take a minute to fill in the
questionnaire below, it would be much appreciated. Please email reply
to awl@world.std.com.

                        -----------
Country:______

1) Do typical phoneset keypads in this country depict alphabetic
characters associated with the keypad's numeric keys?

2) Are these characters actually used for a purpose?

   If so, in what way? (For example, the characters could:

    - be part of the country's dialing plan -- i.e., some people's
      phone numbers have a "D" in them;
 
    - or, they could be used for mnemonic dialing, so that phone
      'numbers' are more easily remembered as strings -- i.e., dial
      1-800-NO-FLAME;
 
    - or, the characters are typically used to configure or modify
      non-connection features -- voice mail, etc.;
 
    - or, other (describe).

3) What is the relationship between the numeric keys and the different
characters? Please indicate below, underneath the examples given. If
an indicated character does not apply to your national language,
please overtype it with a space character. If you need to indicate a
hard-to-display character like a diacritical, just add a notation to
that effect. If your keypad characters are laid out the same as one of
the examples, please indicate which one.

Examples:
                A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
                - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
CCITT Rec E.161 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 0 7 0 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 9  
US Variant 1    2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7   7 7 8 8 8 9 9 9
US Variant 2    2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 9
US Variant 3    2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 0 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 0
US Variant 4    2 2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 1 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 1

Your keypad:
                A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
                - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
                                                                    

Thanks in advance.


Andy Lafleur    awl@world.std.com