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Calling Cards and Dialup: Option 2

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Option 2: The modem navigates the prompts

Advantages of this method:

You can use this method with any operating system and don't depend on the system programmer to have anticipated the latest changes to your calling card's prompts.

Once you've figured out a number string that satisfies both your modem and the calling card, you won't need a phone and a splitter and two sets of wires; you can simply have the modem do all the work for you.

Disadvantages of this method:

It may take several attempts to determine the correct string of numbers and pauses to satisfy both the modem and the calling card prompts.

If you're in a hotel with a per-call fee, this can become expensive quickly; it's advisable to work out your numbers at home or in an office (where an initial 9 may be required, as in a hotel).

In addition, if your calling card company changes its prompts, you will likely have to change your numbers.

Details

Go through the calling card's system yourself, noting down the numbers you type in response to its prompts and (if you need to wait for voice messages) how many seconds you should give the modem between strings of numbers. (At the end of your dialing, you should hear modem sounds over the dialup connection line.)

Next, start developing and testing a series of numbers and pauses that will let your modem handle this automatically.

The following codes are common to several makes and models of modems; check your modem instructions to confirm whether your particular modem shares these codes:

• A comma (,) often means one or two seconds of pause time.
• W often means wait for a dial tone.

So, if your calling card requires the following sequence live:

Dial 1-800-[calling card number], then 3 seconds of pause for voice prompts, then option 1, then your PIN number, then 3 more seconds of pause, then the dialup phone line you wish to connect to (for example, 217-333-3700)

Many modems would navigate this correctly if given this string:

1800[calling card number],,,1,[your PIN here],,,2173333700

(Note: Don't include the brackets in the string; they're simply there to indicate the parts that you would change.)

If your calling card doesn't use voice prompts between the sections required, and instead gives you a dial tone to prompt for the PIN and the number to dial, then you can try something like:

1800[calling card number]W[your PIN here]W2173333700

Obviously, this method will require some trial runs to determine what works with your calling card provider's prompts and your modem's pauses.

Tips

• As with option 1, if you're in an office, hotel, dorm room, or other location where you need to dial 9 to connect to an outside line, make sure that your modem dials the 9 before the 800 number.
  
  
• See the Troubleshooting page for further advice