The name "ENUM" is a short form derived from the term electronic numbering or, alternatively, from telephone number mapping. It is an Internet standard that is used to map telephone numbers onto Internet domains. These domains can then be used for the storage and identification of various communication services. Examples are call numbers for fax and mobile telephones, voice mail systems, e-mail addresses, IP telephony addresses, web pages, GPS coordinates, call diverts, unified messaging and much more. Thanks to ENUM and ENUM services, users gain access to the whole world of communica-tion by means of their established call numbers.

In order to accelerate the process of developing ENUM in Germany, DENIC and Reg TP have now agreed to place the field test on a more formal basis and to intensify their joint endeavours. In so doing, the two institutions, each one of which has extensive expertise in its own particular fields of activity, want to give further impetus to the development of ENUM in Germany. DENIC's contribution is its know-how and experience in the administration of domains, whereas Reg TP is accompanying the test operation with its expertise in the field of telecommunications. Two things are already known for certain: ENUM will only function if there is an assurance of the precise mapping of allocated telephone numbers and if a level of data protection can be established that end users will find acceptable.