Make more features accessable via phone (instead of just control panel)

[samej71]

Hello,

It seems the majority of the features available for ViaTalk customers are only editable via the control panel.

Ideally, most features should be available for editing via the telephone. For example, it's cumbersome to have to turn on the computer, wait for it to boot, log into your control panel, and set call forwarding to you cell, and then turn off the computer. And then repeat the procedure when you come back home.

Other companies let you turn this on and off by dialing special codes on your phone.

Here is a list of features I've found and the codes at least one provider uses to turn the features on and off (or take you into an edit system, if the feature is more complicated than a simple on/off switch).


Feature On Off
============================ ==== ====
Anonymous Call Rejection *77 *87
Call Forward - All Calls *72 *73
Call Forward - Busy *90 *91
Call Forward - No Answer *92 *93
Call Return *69 *89
Call Trace *57 --
Calling ID Block (per call) *67 --
Cancel Call Waiting (per call)*70 --
Do Not Disturb *78 *79
Distinctive Ring (on off and edit list) *61 --
Auto Repeat Dial on busy *66 --
Special Call Acceptance (Whitelist; add last received phone number, edit list) *64 --


Sorry, I've tried a few things to get those columns to line up right.

Any features in that list that are not currently available, please consider adding.

The "call trace" option is for when you get harassing or threatening phone calls. After you hang up from annoying call, you dial a code (like *57) and listen for an announcement. Then your report the date and time to business office. This is used to trace the last call received so law enforecement may identify harassing callers and take action.

Thank you for your time..

--James

[samej71]

I was wondering if any consideration was applied to this request yet or not? It would apper the PAP2 units already have stubs for these functions (and also seem to have the same key codes set by default) for things like setting "all calls" call forwarding from your phone, insetad of having to fire up the computer, wait for it to boot, wait to log in, wait for the browser to load, wait for the web page to load, log in, click the forward icon, set the phone number, submit it, then wait for the computer to shut down.

If I could pick up the phone and hit *72 xxx-xxxx to forward all calls and then walk out the door, that'd be terriffic. Then when I come back home, I could hit *73 to return the phone to "normal" usage.

It could also be useful to set options like these from within the voicemail system. For example, you leave the house and after you're on the road for an hour you realize you forgot to forward your calls to your cell phone, etc. If you could set that remotely via a phone (since most people don't have internet access while driving on the road) that'd be really cool.

Anyhow - just wondering if it was under consideration, or even better, if this is being developed.

Thank you for your time,

--James

[samej71]

Hello,

I've just reviewed the "feature list" and saw this wasn't included (at least, not as a name I recognized) so I just wanted to "bump" this thread so it showed up in the current topics list and not forgotten about. :)

--James

[Agrajag]

Don't some of these already work as described? I'd have to go over this. We'll see what comes of it.

[samej71]

I began to put together a nice looking quick-reference guide PDF to the phone codes as well as a map of the voicemail system. Since these codes aren't published in any of the ViaTalk documentation (at least, not at the time I attempted to do this, around 9-12 months ago), I found the codes in my PAP2.

I punched in a couple codes, and got a reaction in the dial tone on the PAP2, however, they failed to actually change any behavior (like forwarding calls).

Like I mentioned in another post related to this (auto-repeat dialing when busy), to be fair, I have not tried this lately to confirm the codes are still non-functional.

I will re-try at some of these tonight and see what happens.

[steve84123]

I too would like to see these features added. It'd be nice to turn on and off DND and add calling id block etc. from the phone instead of the control panel.

[Brian188]

I too would like to see these features added. It'd be nice to turn on and off DND and add calling id block etc. from the phone instead of the control panel.

Both of those features do work from your phone.

DND *78 Deactivate *79
*67 and dial do not wait for a dial tone to block your CID.

[chas3]

The redial on busy worked for me.
I dialed the number and got a busy. I did a hook flash, enter *66 and got a shutter tone. Hung up.
A few minutes later, my phone rang and I was connected.

[samej71]

Hello,

I'm sorry I didn't think about posting this earlier in the thread, but I just realized I wasn't very clear in my original request.

I should add, for the clarity of the thread, that I meant to request phone-enabled integration with the VT control panel. So if I use the phone and dial *78 to activate DND, when I log into the VT control panel I will see that DND has been enabled and can turn it off via the control panel; conversely, if I go into the control panel and forward all calls to voicemail, I can turn that off by dialing *73 (and the next time I log into the control panel I'll see that it has been turned off), and so on.

Continuing with that, the PAP2T unit can maintain it's own white and blacklist, I assume that it is not integrated with the VT white/black lists in any way. I would want to make sure if I dialed the code to blacklist the number that just called me, that it would appear in the control panel's blacklist.

I hope that clarifies what I meant to originally ask for a little bit. :)

[KC9FOI]

I agree with the point made earlier about the VT documentation. There should be a bigger master list of star codes. The only list I see on there is very short and not comprehensive.

How about put every star code and short dial, like 411,911, VM, on 1 *.pdf file so it will be printer friendly.

[samej71]

Actually, I started piecing a reference guide PDF together which is what initially led me to start this thread when I realized some of the codes I found did not actually work.

If y'all don't mind helping me out, since I have very limited time, if someone could try all of the known standard codes (such as the ones I listed at the start of this thread, which is not a complete list) and provide feedback on what dial codes actually work with the ViaTalk control panel, which ones work independently of the ViaTalk control panel, and which ones don't work at all, then I can use that feedback to make a corresponding reference guide PDF.

There are some other codes supported by default in the PAP2T units that I haven't listed in this thread yet, but some of the other resourceful folks in this forum might be able to post them.

In addition to the phone codes, I was going to create a voicemail map, but I haven't played with the VT voicemail system enough yet to dig through all of the menus and generate the map. If someone would outline the options at each level in the VM system I'll pretty that up and put it in a quick reference guide PDF as well.

I've been meaning to do all of this myself and then share it, but I'm short on time to do all the research at the moment. If anyone could help out with the research it won't take me to long to generate a nice-looking PDF for it. I already have the framework, colors, and fonts set up, and about 40% of the codes listed but without much explanation on use/purpose or verification if they work or not.

I'll probably generate a couple of versions of the reference guide: a two-page version with larger print for those who need something bigger, and one with smaller print with everything on a single side of a sheet.

If we do a good enough job on this, perhaps ViaTalk will send a copy of it in the equipment box to all new customers. :)