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Ask HN: Why can't we have universal postal codes?

2 points by chirau 10y ago

We have a standard for internet addresses, IPs, so why not the same for postal codes. I really dealing with this on forms especially when filling out credit card information.

MBCook 10y ago
The podcast Surprisingly Awesome had an episode not too long ago about postal systems and what it was like to try and establish a new one. [1] As part of the podcast they mentioned a system called What3Words which assigns a unique combination of three words to every ~10x10ft space on the planet as a 'universal' postal code. The system sounded rather impractical, the only country that was supposedly using it (Mongolia) didn't have any citizens who actually seemed to use it. [1] https://gimletmedia.com/episode/21-postal-addresses/ https://gimletmedia.com/episode/21-postal-addresses/ [2] http://what3words.com http://what3words.com
arkitaip 10y ago
The Universal Postal Union has 117 members with a postal code system (73 members lack a postal code system) [1]. Convincing all members to submit to a single standard would be challenging. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_code https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_code
nabla9 10y ago
The cost of changing all systems is probably not worth of it. Most mail is send inside the countries. There is UPU Addressing S42 standard and Universal POST*CODE® DataBase. S42 tells how to transform address elements into an accurately formatted address. http://www.upu.int/en/activities/addressing/s42-standard/application-form.html http://www.upu.int/en/activities/addressing/s42-standard/app... http://www.upu.int/en/resources/postcodes/universal-postcoder-database.html http://www.upu.int/en/resources/postcodes/universal-postcode...
Someone 10y ago
What good would it do? It still would have to be compartmentalized on country borders because that's the way the mail system operates. Also, existing codes vary a lot in resolution. So, chances are you would get something as cleanly designed and as useful as IBAN (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Bank_Account_Number https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Bank_Account_Num...): "The IBAN consists of up to 34 alphanumeric characters comprising: a country code; two check digits; and a number that includes the domestic bank account number, branch identifier, and potential routing information" For example, bank account numbers in East Timor (population 1.2 million and AFAIK not known for its banking sector) are 23 characters long now; those in Iceland (population 333,333 or thereabouts) have 26.
tmaly 10y ago
Why not use a geohash, that would be pretty universal at least for this planet.

2 points by chirau 10y ago

We have a standard for internet addresses, IPs, so why not the same for postal codes. I really dealing with this on forms especially when filling out credit card information.

MBCook 10y ago

The podcast Surprisingly Awesome had an episode not too long ago about postal systems and what it was like to try and establish a new one. [1] As part of the podcast they mentioned a system called What3Words which assigns a unique combination of three words to every ~10x10ft space on the planet as a 'universal' postal code. The system sounded rather impractical, the only country that was supposedly using it (Mongolia) didn't have any citizens who actually seemed to use it. [1] https://gimletmedia.com/episode/21-postal-addresses/ https://gimletmedia.com/episode/21-postal-addresses/ [2] http://what3words.com http://what3words.com

arkitaip 10y ago

The Universal Postal Union has 117 members with a postal code system (73 members lack a postal code system) [1]. Convincing all members to submit to a single standard would be challenging. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_code https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_code

nabla9 10y ago

The cost of changing all systems is probably not worth of it. Most mail is send inside the countries. There is UPU Addressing S42 standard and Universal POST*CODE® DataBase. S42 tells how to transform address elements into an accurately formatted address. http://www.upu.int/en/activities/addressing/s42-standard/application-form.html http://www.upu.int/en/activities/addressing/s42-standard/app... http://www.upu.int/en/resources/postcodes/universal-postcoder-database.html http://www.upu.int/en/resources/postcodes/universal-postcode...

Someone 10y ago

What good would it do? It still would have to be compartmentalized on country borders because that's the way the mail system operates. Also, existing codes vary a lot in resolution. So, chances are you would get something as cleanly designed and as useful as IBAN (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Bank_Account_Number https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Bank_Account_Num...): "The IBAN consists of up to 34 alphanumeric characters comprising: a country code; two check digits; and a number that includes the domestic bank account number, branch identifier, and potential routing information" For example, bank account numbers in East Timor (population 1.2 million and AFAIK not known for its banking sector) are 23 characters long now; those in Iceland (population 333,333 or thereabouts) have 26.

tmaly 10y ago

Why not use a geohash, that would be pretty universal at least for this planet.