Orchid V4, V4+ and Ranger 400 phone users - Discussion

Krafty

Heinz wrote: »

If you hand over your line rental to another provider (like Talk Talk), you won't be able to use the 1280 prefix to 'hop back onto BT' for calls for which BT is cheaper and you'll be at their mercy as to whether access to cheap call providers remains available to you.

For example, Talk Talk bar indirect access providers (1899, 18185 and 18866) and can (although whether they do or not I don't know) bar gateway providers too if they wanted to. Some say that only applies where Talk Talk has unbundled your exchange but others say they also do it when they're just re-selling you line rental via the BT WLR arrangement.

Thanks (I think!) Heinz, I'm happy with the Talk Talk package, I was just looking to make the most of the cheapest call providers... we very rarely call non Geographic numbers or Mobiles (from the landline) so maybe I'll just stay grateful for the cheap Broadband, free national and international calls.

Thanks again.

musical_norwich

I have two new Orchid diallers which refuse to call home. The lights flash to eleven or twelve flashes but that is it, and the Heinz program is certainly not working on them (I can dial 123 and mobiles are routing via default provider). I have tried the reset procedure on both, and have logged in at Orchid using their software to check that accounts have been set up (which they have). I asked for the Heinz to be preloaded and got a sheet telling me to ring the ***12#4567890*3 number.

Is it possible to check whether the servers at Orchid are active to service the call home?

Heinz

musical_norwich wrote: »

I have two new Orchid diallers which refuse to call home. The lights flash to eleven or twelve flashes but that is it, and the Heinz program is certainly not working on them (I can dial 123 and mobiles are routing via default provider). I have tried the reset procedure on both, and have logged in at Orchid using their software to check that accounts have been set up (which they have). I asked for the Heinz to be preloaded and got a sheet telling me to ring the ***12#4567890*3 number.

Is it possible to check whether the servers at Orchid are active to service the call home?

If you've tried the reset procedure (I've repeated it below just in case you were trying something different), you'll need to phone Toby on Monday. He can normally look at your dialler in real time to spot the problem..

I've just forced my Ranger 400 to phone home without difficulty so their server is certainly working at the moment.

There are five procedures:

Lift Handset & dial
**# 0000 * 01536207810 * 1
Replace handset

Lift Handset & dial
**# 0000 * 1 * 8
Replace handset

Lift Handset & dial
**# 0000 * 0 * *
Replace handset

Lift Handset & dial
**# 0000 * 0 * 7
Replace handset

Finally Lift Handset & dial ***12#4567890*3 (this is the 'Force Home' sequence)
Replace handset

The red LED on the V4 should now flash for at least 60 seconds (probably nearer 2 minutes). If it stops after 20 seconds or so, the Force Home has failed.

I have to admit to making mistakes with a simple force home (mixing up # and * presses) on my daughter's V4 before now! It's easily done. On my Ranger I have the (different) force home sequence programmed in the phone book - so can't make mistakes.

Victor_Delta

musical_norwich wrote: »

Is it possible to check whether the servers at Orchid are active to service the call home?

I can't improve on Heinz's advice but would like to add that when I have had occasional problems in the past (long time ago I'm pleased to say) I have tried phoning 01536 272200 just to check that the line is not, say, permanently engaged (perhaps indicating the servers may have crashed?).

You should get no ring tone, just a few seconds of silence followed by 4 quick tones followed by more silence if things are working ok. I checked a few minutes ago, and can confirm that all is well at the moment!

If you can't programme ***12#4567890*3 into your phone as Heinz suggests, try entering it manually before you seize the line (if your phone allows you to do this). The digits are then sent in a fast burst which I have personally found more reliable than entering them manually 'live'. Also, release the line as soon as the digits are sent.

Hope this helps,

V

PS I've just thought that presumably one could listen in on another phone when the box is dialling home to ensure it is dialling the right number ie you should hear the tones etc (perhaps a bit like a fax machine?)? If all is ok, I would abort the call and remake it without listening in as the listening-in process might corrupt some of the data being transferred.

Automan_2

I have a AVM 7050 VOIP router so I can make calls from normal phones in the home via VOIP rather than BT.

It has dialling rules but not by time or day so I thought one of these gadgets may help.

The nice folks at Orchid created the rules but alas they don't work

To force calls by a given service the following prefix must be dialled...

*111# Fixed Line
*121# Voip Carrier 1
*122# Voip Carrier 2
*123# Voip Carrier 3

However all I get is the busy tone

On further reading of the guide it seems by default the V4 treats the # as a pause rather than sending it to the system.

Is there an option to override this or have a bought another door stop?

Many thanks

Automan.

Automan_2

I have emailed technical support to see if they can help.

It is a shame they did not use 'p' for pause thus freeing the '#' so it can be used in the dial sequence.

Also beware the client program does not like running under the program files folder under Vista but is okay if run from a folder with more rights.

Automan.

Automan wrote: »

I have a AVM 7050 VOIP router so I can make calls from normal phones in the home via VOIP rather than BT.

It has dialling rules but not by time or day so I thought one of these gadgets may help.

The nice folks at Orchid created the rules but alas they don't work

To force calls by a given service the following prefix must be dialled...

*111# Fixed Line
*121# Voip Carrier 1
*122# Voip Carrier 2
*123# Voip Carrier 3

However all I get is the busy tone

On further reading of the guide it seems by default the V4 treats the # as a pause rather than sending it to the system.

Is there an option to override this or have a bought another door stop?

Many thanks

Automan.

Automan_2

From Tech Support

Yes, you are correct we use the # as a 1 second pause, i don't think there is any way we can send a # as a # to line as the V4 software will translate the # to a 1 second delay, as and when it sees one.
Sorry we cant be of any more help with this one.
Best Regards,

It seems however I may be able to load a LCR module on my VOIP router but the interface will all be in German.

http://www.telefonsparbuch.de/tmpl/calc/telephone/lcr/index.htm

Automan.

Heinz

Most will be aware by now of the new free 118 service available via 0800 100 100 and the drawback (being subjected to a 20 second advert before getting the number you require).

At the moment, the Heinz program redirects those dialling 118xxx or 192 to 118226 - which, charging a fixed fee of 23½p for up to 2 enquiries, has been the least expensive 'ordinary' 118 service for some time.

Since March 2007, a footnote (see below) to the post detailing the program has drawn attention to the existence of a similar free service run by 118118 (0800 118 FREE / 0800 118 3733). However, at that time, because I was wary of the amount of personal information registering for that service required if/when registration became compulsory, I did not consider/propose using it as a replacement for 118226 in the program.

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.

Now that a second free service has appeared, I'd like to seek users' opinions.

Ignoring the somewhat ridiculous "let's be fair to both companies and use them both" possibility, options for the program appear to be:

1. No change (add to the footnote in the 6 steps post but make no change to the program);
2. Change routing of 118xxx from 118226 to 0800 118 FREE;
3. Change routing of 192 from 118226 to 0800 118 FREE;
4. Change routing of 118xxx from 118226 to 0800 100 100;
5. Change routing of 192 from 118226 to 0800 100 100;
6. Leave the routing of 118xxx to 118226 but change the routing of 192 to 0800 118 FREE;
7. Leave the routing of 118xxx to 118226 but change the routing of 192 to 0800 100 100.

For simplicity and choice, I favour option 7 - but the opinions of others would be appreciated.

EDIT Doh! Come to think of it, option 7 is the same as option 5!

bestyman

7 sounds good to me. Thanks again Heinz.

GTG

That would seem to be the best way to me.

If the user does n't want to listen to the add he/she can still dial the cheapest service using 118.

Thanks Heinz, much appreciated!