Tone Generation

[rp2813]

The old 2500MM some members helped me to get ringing (aka rewired like a DM model) has been delivered to its new owner, who is enjoying it very much.  But he advised me that recently he called his bank and couldn't get through the menu.  It wasn't recognizing anything when he'd push keys on the touchpad.  The rep at the bank said it was probably a "tone generation" problem.   My friend advises that he can get through other menus without a problem, and that it's just this one bank's menu that doesn't respond.

Can anyone advise on this?  Can a touchtone phone have some sort of variation in "tone generation" that would cause one menu system to recognize it and another not to?

This sounds weird to me.

Ralph

[Phonesrfun]

Well, there is not much that can be said.

The phone could be just a hair off frequency but not enough to affect most services.  The Voice Response Unit (VRU) at that bank may be just a little more picky about the tones it receives compared to other services. 

It could also be dirty contacts on the dial itself.  There is a grid of contacts that all have to work in unison on a 2500 TT dial.  These can be cleaned with a piece of card stock like a business card.  While activating the switch by pressing a key, run the card back and forth against the pressure of the closed switch to free any dirt.  DO NOT use something abraisive like emery cloth or sandpaper.  The contacts will be permanently damaged.

If that does not work, then the dial may be slightly off frequency, which is usually beyond your average person's ability to tune, due to the need for a precision frequency counter and a tool for adjusting the slugs in the oscillator coils.

If that is the case, I would just replace the dial.

-Bill

[rp2813]

Thanks Bill.  Since the phone is now over 2K miles away from me, I don't think the contact cleaning or the dial change-out are an option.  Maybe the guy's bank will get complaints from other people who are having trouble with the ARU.  And I think he might prefer talking to a live person anyway.

Ralph

[dsk]

Change bank!
dsk

[rp2813]

I think it's also happening with Walgreens prescription line.  Some ARU's respond fine, others don't.  I had no idea they were so sensitive.  They shouldn't be.  I'll bet the ARU's the telephone company call centers use will recognize the most beat up payphone tones out there.  It just makes sense.

Ralph

[BDM]

Some are set over sensitive to the tone freq. I once had an issue with a call in on my current cordless phone. Which has never given me a problem. I wrote it off as their equipment, not mine.

I also get these types of complaints from car dealers who call my office. Probably 1 out of 50 say my tone reader isn't recognizing the punched keys. Their phone? My reader? Who knows??

[rp2813]

I agree.  It could be connection/tranmission quality factoring in some or all of the time on certain systems.  Just goes to show how little I know about touchtones and what sort of maintenance issues one should be looking for when cleaning up a 2500 for re-deployment.  Live and learn.

Ralph