72307.1502@compuserve.com (GORDON MEYER) (02/06/90)
I have a re-occurring "problem" on my home phone line that I can't quite figure out. I use my modem to dial out nightly. At least once a night (but often 2 or 4 times a night) I have a problem with the disable call waiting feature (accessed by dialing #70 in my service area (Centel, suburban Chicago)). What happens is that my modem will dial using a #70wXXXXXXX command which is supposed to wait for a second dial tone before dialing the full number, this way call-waiting is suspended. The problem is that sometimes it dials the #70, the phone gives three short beeps (there's probably a name for this signal but I'm sort of new to telephony) then a short period of silence until the second dial tone kicks in. Now all is expected so far, but when my modem dials the rest of the string the dial tone continues. In other words, it's as if the switch is now deaf to the rest of sequence. If I try again it usually works fine...but then later that same night the problem may occur again. I suppose it could be the modem (a Supra 2400) but I've never had a problem like this at other locations. I don't try to disable call waiting on voice calls so I'm not sure if the same thing happens when using the phone. I've reported the problem to Centel but they say they can't duplicate the problem. (BTW - I reported this a 6:30 pm Friday night; a repairman called my back at 7 pm to get some more info from me, and then called me again Sunday morning at 7 am (*#*$#!) to tell me nothing was found!) Any suggestions or comments from Telecom readers? GRM 72307.1502@Compuserve.com [Moderator's Note: It sounds to me like occassionally the CO is sending you the 'wrong' dial tone. In the past, when there was very little they could do about it, everyone could use touch tone, whether they paid for it or not. Now they can give you dial tone from one place or another, depending on what you are paying for. Assuming you are in fact paying for touch tone service, one of the paths extended to you for your call is either faulty, misprogrammed, or belongs to rotary dial customers. I will answer in detail later on; but if you have a second physical line there, I'd suggest next time it happens you put the line on hold, call Repair and get them to trace it. I'd venture a guess if someone in the CO can get their hands on it in time, before it drops, they'll find this to be the case. This is very definitly a CO problem, and nothing to do with your modem. To prove this, next time it happens, go off hook with your phone and try your own touch tone pad. They won't work either! The tones will sound, but the CO will, as you put it, be 'deaf'. PT]
john@bovine.ati.com (John Higdon) (02/06/90)
GORDON MEYER <72307.1502@compuserve.com> writes: > phone gives three short beeps (there's probably a name for this signal > but I'm sort of new to telephony) then a short period of silence until > the second dial tone kicks in. It's called "stutter dial tone". Some systems give this signal when you pick up the phone to make a call if something is programmed into the phone, such as call forwarding. The new GTD-5 in Los Gatos does this. > Now all is expected so far, but when my modem dials the rest of the > string the dial tone continues. In other words, it's as if the switch > is now deaf to the rest of sequence. If I try again it usually works > fine...but then later that same night the problem may occur again. "Cancel Call Waiting" is what is known as a "temporary Class of Service change". Telephone switches have class of service tables to define each and every conceivable type of service provided. The features you have, the type of local billing (measured or unmeasured), even the definition of your local calling area are components of the class of service table entry. When you pick up the phone, your class of service is fetched before you even receive dialtone. When you dial #70 you are saying, "Get another class of service." The one you get is just like your regular one except that "call waiting" is denied. Now it is possible that for some reason, in your switch the COS tables are corrupt. The COS you get when dialing #70 also denies touchtone. If this is sporadic, then there could be some real programming difficulties in your switch. These are the worst to get corrected since they usually fall outside the normal trouble shooting procedures and will ultimately require the attention of a "real" switchman, or maybe even a programmer. This COS change on demand can be very powerful. I have a WATS line that is accessable from all my lines. To invoke it, I dial *14. The dialtone immediately returns. What has happened is this: not only has the COS changed, but the phone number as well! It becomes the POTS number for the Full State Outwats. I have confirmed this by dialing *14 and then the readback. > Any suggestions or comments from Telecom readers? To get this corrected, you will have to be persistent. You will frequently be told that no trouble was found, mainly because most of them don't even know what to look for. If you attempt to give them the explanation above, you will get the telephone equivalent of a blank stare. Good luck! John Higdon | P. O. Box 7648 | +1 408 723 1395 john@bovine.ati.com | San Jose, CA 95150 | M o o !
vances@xenitec.on.ca (Vance Shipley) (02/07/90)
In article <3542@accuvax.nwu.edu>72307.1502@compuserve.com (GORDON MEYER) writes: >Now all is expected so far, but when my modem dials the rest of the >string the dial tone continues. In other words, it's as if the switch >is now deaf to the rest of sequence. If I try again it usually works >fine...but then later that same night the problem may occur again. Touchtone recognition problems can be caused by the terminal (modem here) sending too loud a signal. If the CO is too close, or the equipment is not to spec, the signals can be distorted by shear loudness. >[Moderator's Note: It sounds to me like occassionally the CO is >sending you the 'wrong' dial tone. ... >one of the paths extended to you for your call is either faulty, >misprogrammed, or belongs to rotary dial customers. >I'd suggest next time it happens you put the line on hold, call Repair >and get them to trace it. Maybe the second dial tone source is more critical than the first, not recognizing the tones due to distortion. Regarding getting a trace from the phone company, wouldn't the dial tone (and consequently the circuit) be dropped long before you could explain what you wanted? Say in 15 seconds? Vance Shipley [Moderator's Note: Yes, it probably would be. I suppose if he had a rotary dial phone on the line, he could grab it, and dial a digit or two to cut the dial tone; that would buy him some time, but not much. PT]
dave@cis.ohio-state.edu (Dave Pridgen) (02/09/90)
From article <3622@accuvax.nwu.edu>, by vances@xenitec.on.ca (Vance Shipley): >>[Moderator's Note: It sounds to me like occassionally the CO is >>sending you the 'wrong' dial tone. ... > [Moderator's Note: Yes, it probably would be. I suppose if he had a > rotary dial phone on the line, he could grab it, and dial a digit or > two to cut the dial tone; that would buy him some time, but not much. PT] If he had a rotary dial phone on the line he could call service on it then the line would be open and they could test it while he was talking to them. David Pridgen Unify Corp. Site Consultant
72307.1502@compuserve.com (GORDON MEYER) (02/09/90)
Thanks to those who have replied to my message about a "deaf" switch after suspending call-waiting. I'll take the ammo you have given me and call the repair service again. I'll let you know if I get anywhere with them. It's been suggested that if the CO is sending me a "rotary only" dial tone that I could, provided I am quick enough (very quick!), contact the repair office and get them to trace the line. Well, it occurs to me that if I have been handed a "rotary only" line I ought to be able to dial out on that line (via pulse dialing of course). So if it happens again during business hours I'll run out to the kitchen, put my GTE phone on pulse, and dial the repair service and tell them that the line I am currently using has a problem. Well, it's worth a shot anyway. :) GRM 72307.1502@Compuserve.com / GEnie and DELPHI: GRMEYER [Moderator's Note: But the part that gives the dial tone does not stick around for the entire call; if it did, it would be a breeze to trace it. The dial tone does its thing, then leaves. PT]