How to call phone numbers with extensions?

[joffer31]

Hi,
Can I use Outlook to call phone numbers with extensions?

I am trying to make phone calls from Outlook. When the contact's phone
number has an extension included, Outlook dialer does not call the extension
after the call is answered by the automatic answering machine of the
receiver. The automatic machine reads the list of extensions, for instance:
for John, call 107, sales call 211 etc. However the Outlook dialer does not
respond.

Any idea?

Thanks in advance.
Joffer

 

[Brian Tillman]

I am trying to make phone calls from Outlook. When the contact's phone
number has an extension included, Outlook dialer does not call the
extension after the call is answered by the automatic answering
machine of the receiver.

Outlook does not have a dialer. It uses the Windows dialer and the Windows
dialer has no ability to make voice phone calls, as far as I can tell.
However, you can make it dial an extension by entering in the phone number
whatever characters your modem expects. A comma, for example, usually means
a one-second pause when using the Hayes AT command set. You could, then,
use

"234-1234,,,,,,,,,,123"

The dialer would dial the first part of the number, wait ten seconds for the
remote end to answer, then dial the extension. You can adjust the wait time
as well setting the value in register S8.

The truth is, though, that modems expect to be answered by other modems.

 

[joffer31]

Dear Brian,
I understand your answer, however I do not understand the following sentance:

You can adjust the wait time as well setting the value in register S8.

Could you explain.

One more thing. I can I know for how many seconds to delay the extension
dialing. I call different places so trial and error of 1 or 2 places will not
help.

 

[Brian Tillman]

I understand your answer, however I do not understand the following
sentance:

Could you explain.

Read the documentation that came with your modem.

One more thing. I can I know for how many seconds to delay the
extension dialing. I call different places so trial and error of 1 or
2 places will not help.

You seem to have missed the very first thing I said: the WIndows dialer
won't let you do voice calls, so any answer I can give to this question is
purely academic and won't allow you to accomplish what you want, since it's
not possible with the Windows dialer.

However, if this were my problem to investigate, I'd use an ordinary voice
phone, call the answering machine, time the greeting to see how long it
takes for it to come to the point where I could dial the extension, then add
enough commas to wait that long plus a little longer or adjust the S8
register to an appropriate value.