"You must dial the area code to complete this call"

Having issues with your magicJack? Post here, and we'll try to help you out!

Moderators: Bill Smith, Pilot

Post Reply
tony
Dan Should Pay Me
Posts: 509
Joined: Sun May 04, 2008 1:03 pm
Location: Vancouver, BC

"You must dial the area code to complete this call"

Post by tony »

I've been getting this message lately on about 25%-50% of calls. I dial 10 digits then get this recorded voice saying I must dial the area code to complete this call. I dial again (same 10 digits) and sometimes it'll go through, other times it won't. I tried dialing slower in case MJ needs time to process the tones. I'm careful to press the keys all the way down and I can hear the tones in the ear piece and the MJ log of calls shows the complete 10 digits.

Any ideas?
mberlant
Dan Should Pay Me
Posts: 829
Joined: Sun Feb 01, 2009 7:47 pm
Location: Japan

Post by mberlant »

It could be that there are two different implementations of SIP server in the MJ network, one that permits 10 digit dialing and one that does not.

In general, on any post-Dial Tone service (where you listen for the Dial Tone before pressing the digits) it is unwise to permit 10 digit dialing. This is because it introduces an ambiguity in the Dial Plan that exponentially increases the possibility of dialing a wrong number. This is especially true when 7 digit dialing of local numbers is permitted. The only time 10 digit dialing is expressly recommended is when it is used to place local calls to another Area Code within the same Rate Center (an overlay Area Code or a boundary permissive call). In this specific case, local planning guarantees that the Area Code number of the overlay or adjacent Area Code will not be used as an Exchange Code in your Area Code, thus eliminating the ambiguity.

While you may not care about dialing a wrong number by pausing too long between the 7th and 8th digit dialed (because your service is unlimited), service providers do care (because they pay for your calls by the minute).

I recommend you get in the habit of dialing all 11 digits for all of your calls within Country Code 1.
diamond45
MagicJack User
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 6:40 pm

Post by diamond45 »

You also have to dial fast. If you pause in the middle of dialing and wait more than about 5 seconds, it thinks you're done dialing and if you don't dial a proper number of digits, it will send you to this recording.

Ugh... reminds me of the landline... recordings that don't make 100% sense.
grw
MagicJack User
Posts: 41
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 1:29 pm

Post by grw »

It may be helpful to dial a "1" before the area code, making 11 digits in all, even for local calls.
DoC_DaR
magicJack Apprentice
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:57 pm
Location: Canton, GA.

Post by DoC_DaR »

I had the same problem at the beginning. My problem was the phone I had, which worked great with Vonage for 3+ years, did not work well with MJ. Bought new phone, problem gone. Easy for me to try as my old phone was having problems keeping charge on conversations over an hour. Hope this helps.
docooo
Dan isn't smart enough to hire me
Posts: 141
Joined: Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:47 pm

Post by docooo »

I had this problem 2 days ago -and I KNW was doing all right -
then 3 hr's later MJ started to work again .. so think it's on MJ's
end - NOT ur's

Doc
Post Reply