Callers can't dial voice mailbox extensions - (DTMF problem)

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scottlindner
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Re: Callers can't dial voice mailbox extensions - (DTMF problem)

Post by scottlindner » Fri Jul 31, 2009 5:30 am

southsound wrote:Hopefully they've thought about this limitation and it won't be a problem.
I'm certain they are doing testing for their primary use cases with GV.

Scott

gadgetnut
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Re: Callers can't dial voice mailbox extensions - (DTMF problem)

Post by gadgetnut » Sat Aug 01, 2009 2:48 pm

I have the same issue: incoming DTMF tones to ooma are not being passed through.

I've used one ooma core + Scout for six months for everyday telephone use and it's been great. Let's say this ooma number is 222-2222.

But I've also been a Vonage customer for four years. I'd been using one of my Vonage lines for the entrance "intercom" system for my residential electric gate, and it worked perfectly. For discussion, let's call the gate phone number 555-5555. I don't really get incoming calls on it, it's sole purpose is to provide a dial tone to the gate call box. At the drive gate entrance to my property, you press 1 on the call box and it uses its phone line, 555-5555, to dial my home number, 222-2222. I answer the call and if I want to admit the visitor, I press 9 and the gate opens.

Well today I activated a second ooma core and got a new phone number from ooma. No problem. I temporarily disconnected the gate's Vonage phone line and put on the new ooma line.

Outgoing calls from the gate on ooma work fine. A little known feature is that you can also call the gate phone number from another phone (like your cell phone) and enter your "secret code" (a sequence of DTMF tones) and open the gate remotely.

With Vonage this worked fine but not on ooma. When you're pressing DTMF tones, the call is silent and the gate will not open.

I bought this second ooma core exclusively for this purpose and planned to migrate over from Vonage. But this is a deal breaker and I guess I'll have to return it.

Any input from ooma support if this will be changed soon?
Last edited by gadgetnut on Sat Aug 01, 2009 8:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.

murphy
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Re: Callers can't dial voice mailbox extensions - (DTMF problem)

Post by murphy » Sat Aug 01, 2009 4:58 pm

This appears to be by design. It is obvious, by listening, that a DTMF blocker is in the incoming audio path. I have designed and built a DTMF blocker in the past, for an amateur radio repeater, to prevent the received DTMF tones from being transmitted over the air. It has been reported previously, by me, and nothing has been done about it.
Customer since January 2009
Telo with 2 Handsets, a Linx, and a Safety Phone
Telo2 with 2 Handsets and a Linx

gadgetnut
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Re: Callers can't dial voice mailbox extensions - (DTMF problem)

Post by gadgetnut » Sat Aug 01, 2009 5:12 pm

This appears to be by design. It is obvious, by listening, that a DTMF blocker is in the incoming audio path.
Yeah, seems like it. Too bad. Sort of hate to keep ooma and Vonage both going just to keep the features I need. Goes both ways cuz I came to ooma because of blacklist capability.

gadgetnut
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Re: Callers can't dial voice mailbox extensions - (DTMF problem)

Post by gadgetnut » Tue Aug 04, 2009 9:18 am

Followup: spent some time on the phone with ooma tech support yesterday. The CSR left the call numerous times to confer with supervisors and upper tier support, etc., but I was informed ooma was designed for conventional residential purposes, and-- even though this is normal (=noncommercial) use at my residence-- this issue seemed very obscure to the CSR I spoke with. At the end of the call, I was told that "ooma already supports touchtones," and that perhaps I should precede outgoing calls with *99 (like a fax call.)

Since this issue has to do with received calls passing thru DTMF, not placed calls, it doesn't seem like tech support understood what I tried to explain.

Just for clarification, this is not an issue with my Vonage voice or fax lines because they work fine with the gate.

Cheers.

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scottlindner
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Re: Callers can't dial voice mailbox extensions - (DTMF problem)

Post by scottlindner » Tue Aug 04, 2009 12:38 pm

That sucks.

I wonder if there is a way for you to work around the issue. In your particular situation you want to receive the tones from a very limited number of devices. I know it would be a pain, but could you create your own tone generator for use in the house, and another to decode it at the gate? Creates new tones that pass through Ooma. I know this isn't the real solution since Ooma should pass the tones.

Scott

donald_b
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Re: Callers can't dial voice mailbox extensions - (DTMF problem)

Post by donald_b » Tue Aug 04, 2009 5:37 pm

I also spoke with Ooma support about the incoming DTMF tones a few months ago. In fact I called a couple of times and Support gave me some bad information, such as dial *99 first, which of course does not help if DTMF is blocked.

Unfortunately this blocking of inbound DTMF means that you also can't call into your own (non-Ooma) voice-mail system to retrieve messages if you choose to use your store-bought answering machine. I hope that Ooma can resolve this issue since many of us need to get inbound DTMF signals for home-security systems, remote voice-mail access or dialing extensions. Ooma Support, I want the option to use my own voice-mail instead of Ooma's.

gadgetnut
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Re: Callers can't dial voice mailbox extensions - (DTMF problem)

Post by gadgetnut » Tue Aug 04, 2009 6:15 pm

Exactly, donald_b. Over the years I have used my home telephone service to control answering machines, restart hung servers, control home automation and so forth. I had no idea that ooma is missing this functionality when I signed on.

I have redundant network connections to the gate (gigabit ethernet) for video surveillance and other automation aspects, so I could hack the gate operations I need without telephony-- but for now I'll return this second ooma core for a refund and keep my existing Vonage service, which passes DTMF fine.

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scottlindner
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Re: Callers can't dial voice mailbox extensions - (DTMF problem)

Post by scottlindner » Wed Aug 05, 2009 3:59 am

What is interesting is that we know Ooma is receiving the DTMF. You must dial '1' to accept a multi-ring call. So Ooma is receiving it.

Scott

gadgetnut
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Re: Callers can't dial voice mailbox extensions - (DTMF problem)

Post by gadgetnut » Wed Aug 05, 2009 8:49 am

Good point, Scott, I didn't think about that. I suppose if they are choosing to selectively filter out DTMF, this is to discourage enterprise use of their service, automated attendants and the like?

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