Orchid Dialler Discount

jnd wrote:

Anyone else have the Ranger phones and noticed that it's hard to hear the caller very clearly? They can hear me just fine. Think I may have to call Orchid.

My mum told me she had the same problem but dad didnt ,so she knew it was her and not the phone .Yesterday I tried my new ranger phone
I had the same problem ,I just had to move the phone slightly higher on my ear and it worked fine .

After gleaning lots of info from this thread, I have purchased an Orchid V4. In the process of investigating the best call deals, I discovered my ISP (Nildram.net) has some phone packages.

Amongst its offerings is a FREE 500 minutes if you have broadband, which I have - for me that makes broadband approximately free. I have now signed up for Nildram to be my main supplier, and will use 1899 as the second choice for most other things.

The point I am making is that it is no longer enough to say "which is the best priced broadband deal", the next question must be "do they have a phone package also".

Many thanks for all the info .

Heinz wrote:

That's a good question - one I've just e-mailed to Orchid myself.

Their pdf appears to indicate that the handset supplied with the Ranger 400 can be used for basic (LCR) programming of the base station but it doesn't say whether it's GAP or not.

Just to confirm that the Ranger 400 is now described on their site as being GAP compatible.

I've ordered one, if I have any problems adding handsets I'll let you know

Cheers
Simon

Having suggested to my daughter that she take advantage of the MSE 20% discount and get an Orchid V4 LCR to 'tame' her family's telephone use, I was looking for a list of 'recommended settings' for her to [EMAIL="sales@orchid-electronics.com"]e-mail to Orchid[/EMAIL] as her 'Initial Programming Requirements'.

Not finding one, I had to come up with my own - taking into account that she has a BT landline, Primus Saver Option 2 CPS (free E&W UK 01 & 02 calls), 1899*, 18185 & 18866* accounts and five children between 9 and 19. Yes, you're absolutely right, that last bit's not really relevant to the programming - but it was the reason the Orchid was needed! :kisses2:

Click HERE to see how to implement the below program with the minimum of effort.

01/02 numbers ►►
Weekday daytime (6am to 6pm Monday to Friday) - 18185 prefix
Weekday evenings (6pm to 6am Monday to Friday) - no routing (via CPS)
Weekends (6pm Friday to 6am Monday) - no routing (via CPS)

0500 (Freephone) and 055 (VoIP) numbers Ф►
At all times - 1280 prefix

NEW ENTRY 056 (VoIP numbers) Ф
4 JUNE 07-At all times - 18185 prefix

070 (Personal Numbering) numbers►
Bar

077, 078 & 079 (UK mobile) numbers►
At all times - 18185 prefix :male:

080 (Freephone) numbers ■►
At all times - 1280 prefix

0844 numbers►
At all times - 1280 prefix

0845 numbers►
Weekday daytime (6am to 6pm Monday to Friday) - 1280 prefix
Weekday evenings (6pm to 6am Monday to Friday) - 18185 prefix
Weekends (6pm Friday to 6am Monday) - 1280 prefix

0870 numbers►
Weekday daytime (6am to 6pm Monday to Friday) - 18185 prefix
Weekday evenings (6pm to 6am Monday to Friday) - 1280 prefix
Weekends (6pm Friday to 6am Monday) - 1280 prefix

0871 numbers►
At all times - 1280 prefix

09 (Premium Rate) numbers►
Bar

00 (international) numbers►
At all times - 18185 prefix

00800 (UIFNs - Universal International Freephone numbers)►
At all times - 1280 prefix

00979 (UIPRNs - Universal International Premium Rate numbers)►
Bar

118xxx (Directory Enquiry) numbers►
At all times - Digit Translate 118xxx to 1280118226 §

123 (Timeline / Speaking Clock)►
Bar

192 (the old Directory Enquiry number)►
At all times - Digit Translate to 1280118226 §

► For local 01 / 02 calls (i.e. calls to numbers in the same STD code area as you), the V4 auto-inserts the 3 or 5 digits of your 'home' STD code - so you don't have to dial them (Orchid's system detects your STD code when you first install your V4 and force it to call home and then includes it in the download).

Ф Apart from (freephone) 0500, the use of the 05 number range is relatively new but BT's published rates show there are two specific charging rates for 05 calls (charge rates g6 and g21). However, because 18185 doesn't carry 055 calls (14 sub-ranges of which are BT g21 rate and 3 of which are BT g6 rate) but treats 056 numbers (all of which are BT g21 rate) the same as standard UK 01/02 numbers (i.e. 5p connection and 0p/minute), it is the obvious choice of carrier for such calls. Other providers either don't publish their (BT g6 and g21) rates or their rates are extremely difficult to find so, as with the routing of 0844 and 0871 calls, routing 055 calls via BT will eliminate any possibility of 'surprise' call charges.

:male: Still cheapest for calls to UK mobiles despite 9-6-07 increase in weekend rate to 3p/minute.

■ Primus went through a period of charging for 0800 and 0808 (freephone) calls in error and, although customers obtained refunds without difficulty, this programming eliminates the possibility.

§ 118226 currently appears to be the least expensive DQ provider - charging a flat rate of 23.5p for up to two enquiries.

§ A free DQ service, funded by making users listen to advertisements when they call, is now available from 118FREE (0800 118 3733). When calling that number, an announcement appears to require pre-registration in order to use the service but, currently, that is not necessary. As a result, some may want to use this free service rather than paying 23½p to call 118226. Nevertheless, because of the delay caused by the adverts, because of the uncertainty about how long registration-free use will be possible and, most importantly, for the reasons below, 118226 remains the DQ recommendation in the program.

N.B. I was initially at a loss to understand why a service allegedly funded by subjecting users to advertisements when they call requires any 'registration' whatsoever but the registration page may be a clue. Apart from requiring potential users to provide their telephone number, the unnecessary personal details required would, IMHO, be extremely useful to cold callers, spammers and scammers. Consequently, I suggest readers think long and hard if they consider registering if (when) doing so becomes compulsory.

There may well be cheaper options for some calls (e.g. without doubt, 18185 is not the cheapest to all international destinations and better rates for calling UK mobiles become available from time to time) but the above is designed for ease of use and, as far as possible, to eliminate the need to review or change settings more frequently than, say, once a month or once every couple of months.

*The 1899 and 18866 accounts are currently unused but have not been closed.

I use what Heinz posted, as modified by pricefighter, except for calls to mobiles. I recently changed the routing table from 18185 to Discountdial.

I can't find anything cheaper than that set-up at the mo.

:cool:

TOG