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Orchid V4, V4+ and Ranger 400 phone users - Discussion
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Hi
Thanks to all the information on this site I now have a v4 using the MSE Heinz programme. I am currently with BT Option 1 but am in the process of transferring to Primus Saver Option 2 with penny mobile. All has been running fine but today my 01 calls are being sent using 18185 as I am getting the 'Op' a minute message. I have tried forcing the dialler to phone home in case there was a timing error but that has not made any difference. I thought perhaps the 29th Feb might have thrown the system in some way. Is anyone else having the same problem? Orchid help line is not open at weekends so can't ask them until Monday.
(I know I can overide the Orchid with 121 btw.)
Roaljoho0 -
Welcome to the MSE forums roaljoho.
It sounds as though your V4 needs its day/date/time updated and, as you obviously know, the easiest way to do that is to force it to call home. However, I've just failed to achieve that too and that normally means the server is not available for some reason. In fact, on checking 01536 207810, I find it to be permanently engaged.
I'd suggest you try dialling 12101536207810 and, if you find it's no longer engaged, try a force home again.
Failing that, you could just reset the V4's time manually:To manually reset the clock in a V4, lift the handset and 'dial' the following:
** # 0 0 0 0 * hh mm DOW dd mm yy *2
N.B. The DOW (Day Of Week) entry is a single digit:
Monday = 1
Tuesday = 2
Wednesday = 3
Thursday = 4
Friday = 5
Saturday = 6
Sunday = 7
** # 0 0 0 0 * 1 4 3 0 6 0 1 0 3 0 8 *2 (then hang up).
N.B. When following the above procedure, users will probably hear an announcement like, "Please hang up and check your user guide" but that does not mean updating has failed. Ignore the announcement and hang up after you have finished keying the sequence (or just hang up if you have already finished when you hear it).Time has moved on (much quicker than it used to - or so it seems at my age) and my previous advice on residential telephony has been or is now gradually being overtaken by changes in the retail market. Hence, I have now deleted links to my previous 'pearls of wisdom'. I sincerely hope they helped save some of you money.0 -
Thanks Heinz
I've just tried resetting the timer manually but that doesn't seem to have made a difference either. I'll keep trying the number you gave for the server and force home when it's not engagaged.
Roaljoho0 -
Perhaps I did that time resetting wrong! Have just tried again and calls are now routing via BT. Thanks again for this advice Heinz and all the other information I've gained from lurking
Roaljoho0 -
At the moment, the program uses 18185 for, amongst others, all calls to UK mobiles and, until recently, that programming resulted in charges of 5p connection + 6p per minute during the week and 5p connection + 3p per minute at weekends.
Unfortunately, 18185 has now increased its per-minute rate for weekend calls to UK mobiles to 3½p per minute for those using the 18185 prefix.
However, its per-minute rate when its 08081703703 gateway access number is used is still 3p/minute.
Additionally, Dave, the Global Moderator on the SayNoTo0870.com forums, noticed that their website shows that 18185's prices to call 0870 numbers for those using their freephone and geographical access numbers are less than those for those using the 18185 prefix.
On Saturday 22-3-08, I tested weekend calling via the 0808 1 703 703 access number and received the "1p per minute" tariff announcement (half the per-minute cost of using the 18185 prefix). However, a similar test on Monday 24-3-08 resulted in a "5p per minute" tariff announcement, not the 3p per minute www.18185.co.uk website shows.
In summary, there is a possible ½p per minute saving by changing to using the 0808 access number when calling mobiles at the weekend and a possible 1p per minute saving when using the 0808 access number when calling 0870 numbers weekday daytimes and at weekends.
However, as any use of the 0808 access number really also requires the user to add a # at the end of the number dialled (omission results in a delay), I don't think it worth making those changes to the program at the moment.
Time has moved on (much quicker than it used to - or so it seems at my age) and my previous advice on residential telephony has been or is now gradually being overtaken by changes in the retail market. Hence, I have now deleted links to my previous 'pearls of wisdom'. I sincerely hope they helped save some of you money.0 -
Heinz, I know you do a wonderful job at compiling all the information for your "Heinz Program" for the Orchid diallers and I want to thank you for that mate, well done. Unfortunately, I'm having a bit of a problem and I'm sure it's me just being a bit thick
There was a discussion on the board somewhere (can't find it now) regarding the situation where, when people leave the house, they will often divert incoming calls to their mobiles. It was found that Primus would/could be the carrier for such forwarded calls and so you suggested signing up for the Primus Penny Mobile 2 add-on, which I did.
However, it seems that my diverted calls to my mobile are going through 18185, which, according to your Heinz Program of 19th Feb 2008 is correct:075, 077, 078, 079 (UK mobile) numbers►
At all times - 18185 prefix [FONT="]□[/FONT][FONT="]□[/FONT] If you are on Penny Mobile 2, remember to override the dialler by using the 121 prefix if you know your call to a UK mobile is going to be over 2 minutes during the week
Thanks mate,
Allanon
PS - I've just sussed it, I think and yes, it is simple. I just divert to 121[my mobile number] don't I? Doh!!!I'll post this anyway, just in case it's not that simple
0 -
Although 'the program' currently routes all outgoing calls to UK mobiles via 18185, I don't think your diverted calls are going via 18185 for two reasons:
(1). BT does not accept prefixes in a 'divert to' string;
(2). Your Orchid is at your house and, when you set up a divert using BT's Call Diversion Calling Feature, you program the exchange to do the diverting - so the call gets nowhere near your Orchid.
If you have BT's £1.75/month Call Diversion Calling Feature, you program the 'divert to' number without any routing instructions and the call is diverted at the exchange to the designated mobile. You'd input something like *21*07123456789# and, as discussed and proven, that diversion goes out via your CPS (and which, as it's Penny Mobile 2, costs 20p).
Was that what you were asking?
BTW, don't confuse the 121 Orchid override code (used to bypass the program in your Orchid; e.g. when sending a call via Penny Mobile 2 to a UK mobile because you know it won't be brief) with the *21* BT Call Diversion Calling Feature code.Time has moved on (much quicker than it used to - or so it seems at my age) and my previous advice on residential telephony has been or is now gradually being overtaken by changes in the retail market. Hence, I have now deleted links to my previous 'pearls of wisdom'. I sincerely hope they helped save some of you money.0 -
Yes, my friend, that is indeed what I was asking - thanks for that. I'll have to check my bills tonight when I get home.
Cheers,
Allanon0 -
Orchid are changing their URL from https://www.orchid-electronics.com to https://www.orchid-telecom.com today.
Anyone whose bookmarks to specific Orchid pages fail need just to change the 'electronics' part to 'telecom' (all sub-page text remains the same).Time has moved on (much quicker than it used to - or so it seems at my age) and my previous advice on residential telephony has been or is now gradually being overtaken by changes in the retail market. Hence, I have now deleted links to my previous 'pearls of wisdom'. I sincerely hope they helped save some of you money.0 -
I am thinking of purchasing an orchid dialler, as we currently use 18185 for mobiles but my teenage stepdaughter has just run up a massive bill constantly calling her friends on their mobiles.
I want to know is it possible to block calls to mobiles even if she uses the 18185 prefix, but allow calls to specific mobiles (ie my mobile and my girlfriends).
Hope someone can clear this up before I decide to purchse one of these.0
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