Auto-enter Area Code - Anyone got any ideas?

pbishop · Post by **pbishop** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:09 pm

Does anyone know how we can get MagicJack to auto-enter the area code of the phone number it is setup for if the number dialed is 7 digits? Or is there maybe a way to intercept the number before it gets to the MJ and put the area code in front of the number? I'm still trying out the MJ and would like to get around having to dial 10 digits for a local number.

msiam · Post by **msiam** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:33 pm

You should start getting use to that. Most states and with all the different Phone companies , on line and off, will be putting the 10digit dialing into effect sooner or later, I wouldn't be surprised if it isne "Sooner"

pbishop · Post by **pbishop** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:41 pm

I understand what you're saying, but frankly I don't want to get use to that unless I have to. Since this is software, it would be easy for MJ to put this in for the user. I was hoping that people that had been using it for a while would know how to modify the program or interact with it.

Does anyone have any information on an API, or any thoughts how to interface with MJ?

Darkman90808 · Post by **Darkman90808** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 5:05 pm

pbishop wrote:I understand what you're saying, but frankly I don't want to get use to that unless I have to. Since this is software, it would be easy for MJ to put this is for the user. <<snipped>>

pbishop... I have to respectfully disagree on a number of points. If you do a search, I believe you will find a post by Stewart, one of the venerable contributors to this forum, explaining why the requirement to dial the area code is being mandated by the FCC. While you are correct, it should be something relatively easy for MJ, or for that matter, Verizon, AT&T, et. al. to change this programatically, I don't believe it is an option.

But also, why should they, even if they could? You're one customer. When you sell technology, there is always someone who thinks they have a better spin on how it should be done and wants the manufacturer to make an "easy" change. But at a practical level, product managers, committees, bean counters, development all have a say in the priority of what gets done. As stated in the previous post, I would get used to it since every provider is soon going to be standardizing on the ten digit number.

pbishop · Post by **pbishop** » Fri Oct 17, 2008 11:26 pm

You know guys, I'm not hear to debate the validity of my request. We're pretty happy with our current VOIP system that only cost $20/month and oh yeah, by the way, only requires that I dial 7 digits for a local number. I don't live in a big city where you are required to dial 10 digits for a local number, and honestly I could care less if you do. I read several posts like mine today and it seems the only people that were inclined to reply are those who feel the need to voice their opnions on the topic. I don't mean to sound beligerant, but if you don't know the answer to my question and you don't have anything helpful to offer (i.e. documentation or references) then please don't feel obligated to post a reply. Honestly I do not value your opinions. And while you may feel that dialing 10 digits for a local number is satisfactory - try telling that to my wife. To put it in your terms - you try telling a customer that you're going to replace a product that they're completely happy with at a fraction of the price, but the product will require that they do unnecessary work to come close to the results of the former product.

Darkman90808 · Post by **Darkman90808** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:11 am

Just because you don't get the answer you want, doesn't mean it's not a valid answer. If the FCC says "no", I would pretty much take that as final.

pbishop · Post by **pbishop** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 10:57 am

I going to give you guys the benefit of the doubt that you don't know much about software. Since this forum is about tips, tricks and hacks I assumed that the people posting would know a little something about this software and how to interface with it. Sure the FCC might mandate how things are sent over the wire, but they can't say how your software works under the hood. If all you guys want to do is opine about this topic then can you please point me to another forum where technical people make posts; otherwise, you're not doing anything but wasting my and your time. By the way, if the answer is "no it can't be done", then that is fine too, but don't waste my time telling me that I shouldn't be asking the question. I'm a software engineer, and most sites I find like this are used by people who want to take the time to help each other. If this isn't going to be a viable alternative for us I'll just send it back. No loss here.

fsu1991 · Post by **fsu1991** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 5:45 pm

Pbishop,

I don't know how much you use your phone, but another option is to utilize a VOIP company that allows you to use your own analog telephone adapter (ATA). I subscribe to both MJ and Gizmo5. The Gizmo5 allows me to use my own ATA, which I've written my own dial plan that will permit me to use 7-digit dialing. Although there are people on this forum that appear to use an ATA with their MJ service (and thus could write their own dial plan), this type of configuration is presently not permitted by the MJ TOS and getting the required MJ credentials is a difficult process.

My Gizmo5 service has free unlimited inbound calls, outbound toll-free calling, and direct SIP-to-SIP calls with no monthly or yearly fees. The only thing I pay is 1.9 cents/minute for outbound calls to PSTN numbers and $4/year for a custom caller-ID (which I use to display my Grand Central number - which is also used as my inbound number that rings my Gizmo5 SIP number). I purchased MJ and tried it for awhile, but I didn't like having my computer on all the time. I still use it when I travel or sometimes when I initiate long phone calls to my sisters to avoid the Gizmo5 per minute charges (I'm very cheap). It works for me since I'm a light phone user and it's more economical for me to have a service where I pay only for what I use. There are many other VOIP companies out there that sell monthly plans and permit you to use your own ATA, but none that I'm aware of that are as inexpensive as MJ.

I guess it's a trade-off, tolerate a little inconvenience and save some money, or spend a little more and get better service. Personally, a combination of those two options works for me.

fsu1991 · Post by **fsu1991** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 6:16 pm

Pbishop,

Since you focus so much on the software solution, there are a couple of things that will make what you want difficult to implement even if were technically possible.

First, hacking the software would only be a short-term solution since MJ seems to push out new software revisions on a fairly frequent basis. A potential hack might work for a few weeks, and then suddenly stop without warning when your MJ updated to new software. You would then have to repeat the hack over and over again. There have already been several hacks to improve the MJ service, but most of them have been defeated by updated software.

Secondly, you state that you live in an area that doesn't require 10-digit dialing so you probably live outside of a major metropolitan area. Most of the MJ area codes are based near large population centers. Even if MJ were to permit 7-digit dialing, it would be based on the area code of the number you were assigned, not necessarily the area code where you live.

I agree with you that it would be nice to have an option in the software to input your area code and have the software automatically format the number into the correct 11-digit format before transmitting it. Given the minimal level of technical support provided by MJ in order to keep costs low, they probably want to minimize the number of options available to their customers to reduce their workload. Although it sounds simple, there are still a great number of people who would still screw up entering their area code and contact MJ when it didn't work as expected. Making it plug-n-play with no user intervention can save MJ a lot of work and keep costs low for everyone.

Personally, one improvement I wish MJ would make would be to provide the name of the account holder on the outbound caller-id. It seems like it would be simple to do, but again, it MJ did this then they would probably have increased tech support requests asking for corrections. I've had to teach my family that whenever they see an incoming call in which the caller-id says "Saint Louis" that it's really just me.

Darkman90808 · Post by **Darkman90808** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 7:12 pm

pbishop wrote:I going to give you guys the benefit of the doubt that you don't know much about software. Since this forum is about tips, tricks and hacks I assumed that the people posting would know a little something about this software and how to interface with it. Sure the FCC might mandate how things are sent over the wire, but they can't say how your software works under the hood. If all you guys want to do is opine about this topic then can you please point me to another forum where technical people make posts; otherwise, you're not doing anything but wasting my and your time. By the way, if the answer is "no it can't be done", then that is fine too, but don't waste my time telling me that I shouldn't be asking the question. I'm a software engineer, and most sites I find like this are used by people who want to take the time to help each other. If this isn't going to be a viable alternative for us I'll just send it back. No loss here.

Dude, if you're so smart, do it yourself.

Puh-lease send it back! The sooner, the better.

This forum has too many whiners and cry babies as it is.

stroths · Post by **stroths** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:48 pm

I don't know if you can find one you can customize, but they use to sell these caller ID blocking devices you hooked to your phone line. Anytime a phone was picked up, it would dial a *67 automatically to block your caller ID. If you could find one that would allow you to put in your own custom prefix rather than *67, that would be one option.

I'm not saying its a good solution, but its all I can think of off the top of my head. I grew up in a small town and they changed it to 10 number dialing way back then (about 25 years ago). There are so many towns big and small that have been converted for a while that it might be hard to find a solution short of the ATA mentioned.

I wish you luck.

pbishop · Post by **pbishop** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 11:31 pm

Dude, if you're so smart, do it yourself.

Puh-lease send it back! The sooner, the better.

This forum has too many whiners and cry babies as it is.

Thanks man, you're real helpful. Very mature too. I think I'll look for another forum with people who actually want to further this product...if one exist.

stroths · Post by **stroths** » Sun Oct 19, 2008 1:30 am

pbishop wrote:
Dude, if you're so smart, do it yourself.

Puh-lease send it back! The sooner, the better.

This forum has too many whiners and cry babies as it is.
Thanks man, you're real helpful. Very mature too. I think I'll look for another forum with people who actually want to further this product...if one exist.

You've had 2 valid suggestions. Since you missed those, you might want to look for another forum. Maybe you can try the official magicjack forum.

mianne · Post by **mianne** » Wed Oct 29, 2008 11:40 pm

Pbishop, also it is worth noting that I am in a mid-size metropolitan area (Nashville, TN) for which the 615 area code covers a fairly wide area. Calling via PSTN, one can currently call locally with 7 digits. However, should one try to call intraLATA (local toll calls) the 10 or 11 digit number is required. In short, 7-digit phone numbers are very rapidly becoming things of the past (along with 5 digit zip codes)

So attempting to write software to automatically pre-pend the local area code if only 7 digits are entered is much like trying to find an ISA ethernet card to get that old IBM PC/AT in the attic onto the internet. It could theoretically be done, but it would be far more trouble than it's worth, and the results would be far less than satisfactory.

It becomes largely moot if one day you find the street you live on becomes the dividing line for a new area code and you need to dial 10 digits to call the babysitter anyway. You'd need to either enforce the legacy '1' before the area code or have to be very careful in setting up time delays for the system to recognize whether or not you're calling locally while not adding such an excessive delay as to annoy everyone using your phone.

The much more elegant solution is to use a phone with a built in phonebook and program in all your frequently called numbers the same way you do with a cellphone. That way you don't have to punch in any numbers at all, unless you use a speed dial which would give everyone you know a 1 or 2 digit phone number.