Abstract: By establishing double star short dialing codes (short codes) a party may have assigned to it a two, three, four or five digit name or number that is easy to remember because it has only a few numbers. When that number is dialed, the number is directed to a special translator that translates the short code to the full number, or to a series of called numbers, for subsequent routing through the telephone network. Because of the shortage on the numbering plan, the short code is indicated to the telephone network by the calling user dialing a unique prefix combination of non-numeric digits. In one embodiment, a control digit within the short code indicates to the system also the length of the short code. In this manner, variable length short numbers can be utilized for telephone or SMS messaging routing purposes, thus expanding the existing dial plan for the short number purposes.