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Rotary phones and touch tone menus.

Started by Greg G., March 04, 2009, 02:54:30 PM

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Greg G.

I've seen at least a couple different gizmos for using rotary phones when dealing with a touch-tone menu.  I admit I don't understand the electronics involved, and I wonder if it's different with different phone systems.  Reason I bring it up is I just called my boss and to get to her they use a touch tone menu.  I have an el-cheapo touch tone handy that I plug when I have to for just that purpose, and up until now, I just assumed I had to use a touch-tone phone when dealing with touch-tone menus.  But just for kicks and giggles, since I dialed from a rotary phone, I tried dialing the number it said to push and it worked.  It wasn't just my work number either, tried the same thing on a different menu system (an 866 number) and it still worked.  Just to further test it, I tried it from two different rotary phones, my 500 set (late 60s or early 70s) and my 70 plus yo NEC phone, same result.  So why do I need a touch-tone device or phone to navigate phone menus?
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e

Dennis Markham

I've never been able to access touch-tone menus using my rotary phones.  I have just a regular POTS line.  I can't explain that one.

bingster

Back in the late 1980s, I had a 302 on my desk at work, and I could navigate our office's Lucent phone system with it.  It detected the pulses, I guess.  I could also forward calls to other extensions, and put calls on hold with it.  But of course, that was quite a while ago.
= DARRIN =



Steve


What type of phone service do you have?  a V.O.I.P. type service might convert pulses to tones to work? just a guess :)
If you're a long way from home,
Can't sleep at night.
Grab your telephone,
Something just ain't right.

Sargeguy

I can navigate menus at work with my rotary dial as well. 
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

Perry

Even if it works like that (it never does for me), you still can't press "pound," which is often required. Some companies connect you to a real operator when you give a reply they can't understand (like dialing), but others won't let you get anywhere.

McHeath

I've never had a rotary recognized by a touch tone menu system, that's pretty interesting.

Greg G.

#7
Quote from: Steve on March 04, 2009, 04:51:19 PM

What type of phone service do you have?  a V.O.I.P. type service might convert pulses to tones to work? just a guess :)

It's actually cable, Comcast in Seattle.  So you're probably right. 
The idea that a four-year degree is the only path to worthwhile knowledge is insane.
- Mike Row
e