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Hi All,

As many of you will know, I've been using an AVM Fritz!Box Fon for quite
some time now, mainly on Sipgate but also on FWD and Gradwell.

However I've recently come across a slight problem that I haven't been
able to find a way around, so I wonder if anyone else with a Fritz has had
the same problem..?

Basically I need to be able to call an American toll-free (1-800) number
for tech support on a certain item of software I'm using. FWD
(FreeWorldDialup) allow free calls to these numbers but you have to prefix
the number with a * so for example 1-800-123-4567 would be dialled
*18001234567.

This is all well and good, but the problem is the Fritz!Box uses a * as
the prefix for some of its own internal commands, so a * sent doesn't get
passed to line but is "interpreted" by the unit. This means that I can't
dial the number as required.

Is there a way around it..? If so I'd be *very* grateful for any info..!


Ivor

"Ivor Jones" <> wrote in message
news:...

>
> Basically I need to be able to call an American toll-free (1-800) number
> for tech support on a certain item of software I'm using. FWD
> (FreeWorldDialup) allow free calls to these numbers but you have to prefix
> the number with a * so for example 1-800-123-4567 would be dialled
> *18001234567.
>
> This is all well and good, but the problem is the Fritz!Box uses a * as
> the prefix for some of its own internal commands, so a * sent doesn't get
> passed to line but is "interpreted" by the unit. This means that I can't
> dial the number as required.
>
> Is there a way around it..? If so I'd be *very* grateful for any info..!

I know the question was posed at Fritz!Box users, which I am
not..........however, is it pssible to programme speed dials at all?

Is the * prefix on 1-800 numbers peculiar to FWD? Why is it even necessary?

"Jono" <> wrote in message
news:vB0Xg.33163$. uk
> "Ivor Jones" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>
> >
> > Basically I need to be able to call an American
> > toll-free (1-800) number for tech support on a certain
> > item of software I'm using. FWD (FreeWorldDialup) allow
> > free calls to these numbers but you have to prefix the
> > number with a * so for example 1-800-123-4567 would be
> > dialled *18001234567. This is all well and good, but the problem is
> > the
> > Fritz!Box uses a * as the prefix for some of its own
> > internal commands, so a * sent doesn't get passed to
> > line but is "interpreted" by the unit. This means that
> > I can't dial the number as required. Is there a way around it..? If so
> > I'd be *very*
> > grateful for any info..!
>
> I know the question was posed at Fritz!Box users, which I
> am not..........however, is it pssible to programme speed
> dials at all?

Yes it is, but it has to be in the format *.
However, I tried and it works, but that is only good if you want to dial a
specific number, if you want to be able to dial any old 1-800 number at
random then you can't do it, you would have to program the speed dial for
the required number in full, you can't just specify a prefix and dial the
remaining digits from the phone. That would require a dialling rule, and
the dialling rule setup doesn't allow non-numeric characters such as a *
in the string.

> Is the * prefix on 1-800 numbers peculiar to FWD? Why is
> it even necessary?

I believe so, why it's necessary I don't know, but it is..! However it's
the only account I have that allows free calls to 1-800 numbers.

Ivor

Ivor Jones explained on 11/10/2006 :
>> I know the question was posed at Fritz!Box users, which I
>> am not..........however, is it possible to programme speed
>> dials at all?
>
> Yes it is, but it has to be in the format *.
> However, I tried and it works, but that is only good if you want to dial a
> specific number, if you want to be able to dial any old 1-800 number at
> random then you can't do it, you would have to program the speed dial for the
> required number in full, you can't just specify a prefix and dial the
> remaining digits from the phone. That would require a dialling rule, and the
> dialling rule setup doesn't allow non-numeric characters such as a * in the
> string.

Well, in the absence of a Fritz!Box expert, other than yourself, coming
along, I'm stumped!

>> Is the * prefix on 1-800 numbers peculiar to FWD? Why is
>> it even necessary?
>
> I believe so, why it's necessary I don't know, but it is..! However it's the
> only account I have that allows free calls to 1-800 numbers.

There must be another VSP that allows it with normal direct dialling.
What about an account with voipcheap.com E10 +VAT for 90 days free
calls to UK blah blah. P'raps a bit OTT to ring a freephone number.

"Jono" <> wrote in message
news:

[snip]

> There must be another VSP that allows it with normal
> direct dialling. What about an account with voipcheap.com
> E10 +VAT for 90 days free calls to UK blah blah. P'raps a
> bit OTT to ring a freephone number.

Just a bit..! I used to terminate FWD on a Sipura 2000 which handles the
initial * fine, but there were other reasons for moving it to the
Fritz!Box.

Don't start me off about "free" calls at a price

Ivor

Ivor Jones submitted this idea :
> "Jono" <> wrote in message
> news:
>
> [snip]
>
>> There must be another VSP that allows it with normal
>> direct dialling. What about an account with voipcheap.com
>> E10 +VAT for 90 days free calls to UK blah blah. P'raps a
>> bit OTT to ring a freephone number.
>
> Just a bit..! I used to terminate FWD on a Sipura 2000 which handles the
> initial * fine, but there were other reasons for moving it to the Fritz!Box.
>
> Don't start me off about "free" calls at a price
>
> Ivor

I won't. Although they are free calls, genuinely - the E10 can all be
used on non-free calls.

Can't you put the account back into the spa2000?? and at the same time
leave it in the F!B too?

"Jono" <> wrote in message
news:
> Ivor Jones submitted this idea :

[snip]

> > Don't start me off about "free" calls at a price
> >
> > Ivor
>
> I won't. Although they are free calls, genuinely - the
> E10 can all be used on non-free calls.

But I have plenty of credit on three Sipgate accounts that has hardly been
touched in 2 years..! My calls to PSTN numbers are so few as to be
practically non-existent, it's hardly worth me opening an account that
requires credit that will never be used just to call freephone numbers..!
Oh and if it requires credit then the calls aren't free..!
Aaaarrgghhhh..!! See what you've done, you've got me going..!

> Can't you put the account back into the spa2000?? and at
> the same time leave it in the F!B too?

No, I need both the phone ports on the SPA2000 for other purposes, the FWD
account is rarely used and doesn't warrant a phone port all to itself (I
haven't got enough incoming line circuits on the PABX for a start..!) and
it is installed as an "extra" account on the Fritz as it can hold up to
10.

Ivor

"Ivor Jones" <> wrote in message
news:...

>
> No, I need both the phone ports on the SPA2000 for other purposes, the FWD
> account is rarely used and doesn't warrant a phone port all to itself (I
> haven't got enough incoming line circuits on the PABX for a start..!) and
> it is installed as an "extra" account on the Fritz as it can hold up to
> 10.
>
> Ivor

Then you need to consider using voxalot.

You can set up FWD on voxalot so that any number beginning 1800x., actually
get sent as *1800x.

"Jono" <> wrote in message
news:5ilXg.33787$ .uk...
>
> "Ivor Jones" <> wrote in message
> news:...
>
>>
>> No, I need both the phone ports on the SPA2000 for other purposes, the
>> FWD account is rarely used and doesn't warrant a phone port all to itself
>> (I haven't got enough incoming line circuits on the PABX for a start..!)
>> and it is installed as an "extra" account on the Fritz as it can hold up
>> to 10.
>>
>> Ivor
>
> Then you need to consider using voxalot.
>
> You can set up FWD on voxalot so that any number beginning 1800x.,
> actually get sent as *1800x.
>

Really, I meant "try setting up voxalot in this way" I have no idea if
voxalot's dial patterns allow the sending of * codes. It ought
to.........where's a Brian when you need one?

In article <5ilXg.33787$> ,
Jono <> wrote:

>Then you need to consider using voxalot.

What about your own home asterisk box, Ivor? For what you're doing, I'd
have thought it would be the best thing for you. Not cheap though, but
if you have the time and an oldish PC then it'll work just fine. You
might need to fork-out for a TDM400 card though rather than use ATAs...

Gordon