For some months, I've had an Orchid V4 dialler http://www.orchid-electronics.com/Diallers/v4.htm set up to route most calls via 1899.com, which has been working fine.

1899 say that you should dial the number you want followed by a hash but the dialler doesn't do that (if it can, I don't know how to set it up!) This hasn't been a problem because after a short delay the 1899 software assumes you've finished dialling even if you don't press the hash key and it then just connects your call.

However, about 10 days ago 1899 changed the delay for assuming that you'd finished dialling from about five seconds to something more like 30 seconds.

It took a little while to discover that you could press the hash key to make the call connect immediately. But most people aren't used to pressing a hash key at the end of a number and this change is a bit of an irritation.

I could ask the Orchid people, who are always very helpful, but it's not really an issue with the dialler (unless there's a way to make it add a hash at the end of the number.) I could email 1899 but I'm pretty confident that they won't reply.

So does anyone know if there's a solution to this? It would be great if I could make this work as it was previously.

(One other formatting issue: how do you hide hyperlinks behind a different word on the forum? See the link above to Orchid, which would be better if the actual URL was not visible.)

wrote on Sep 16^th, 2005 at 10:25am:

...I could ask the Orchid people, who are always very helpful, but it's not really an issue with the dialler (unless there's a way to make it add a hash at the end of the number.)..

I posted a similar response on the MSE forum and that was as far as I'm aware Orchid can't add a '#' at the end of the number because the dialler itself just dials the freephone access number and the hashes at the end of that but then just passes the number you entered (eg 01234 567890) at the end of it and at this point it losses control of what it can/can't do.  Orchid can add a '#' onto the end of the freephone access number but once it passes your number over it can't do much thereafter.

You are probably right on Call1899 may not bother replying but best thing to do is complain anyhow and have other people complain.  If no-one complains then Call1899 won't be aware of any problems this feature (or whatever you call it) is causing.  The more people that complain the better.  Maybe posting a new thread in the MSE forum (home phone section) and mentioning this and asking people to complain may have Call1899 take notice, or at least come out with the reason as to why this is happening now.

As for your link under a different name, try something similar to this:-

Quote:

The best site is SayNoTo0870.com, click here for more information.

Looks something like this when typing it out:-

Code (]The best site is SayNoTo0870.com, click [url=http://www.saynoto0870.com):

here[/url] for more information.

I have done 1899.com an injustice in suggesting that they might not reply to my email.

I sent them an email explaining the situation and they responded within a few hours saying "We are sorry for the inconvenience. The problem has been resolved so, we advise you to please try again."

It's certainly back to something like what it was before. Though I'm now rather conscious of the delay, so I'm not sure whether it's exactly the same. The delay (if you don't press the hash key) is now around eight or nine seconds. I said previously it was around five seconds but that might have been an underestimate because I hadn't paid much attention to it before.

Anyway, it's nice to know that the people at 1899 will take action if there's a problem.

There is no reason why you need to add a # at the end of any number. This is the signal usually used to indicate that the dialling is complete. The protocol of the interconnecting public signalling system 'C7' operates with a request next digit approach and knows the number length.

However here is somthing quite strange that I have found when using 1899. My BT line normally withholds my OLI (CLIP) which I can release on a per call basis by prefixing each call with 1470.

This means that to release CLIP and call via 1899 makes the number lengths, that you have to dial, quite long! i.e. 1470 1899 01xxx-yyyyyy ! Particularly if your calling someone is your same STD code area!!!! A 6 figure number becomes 19 digits!

My PABX is able to look at the number I dial and then using time of day and day of week select the route and add the appropriate indirect code.

The PABX also allows a complete number to be added into its translator, handy if you want to release CLIP to friends and family. I have found that between sending the 1470 and the indirect code for the indirect operator (i.e 18866) it is necessary to add a pause of 1 second. However with 1899 this products a R.A. saying that 1899 does not support the service. Changing the 1 second to 0.5 second resolves this......strange!