18185 Problem

[#1]

I have used 18185 from Plusnet for some years and it usually works OK. However, in recent months I have increasingly found that I cannot navigate the menu system of the business that I am calling using the telephone keypad. The same is true if I use the 0808 number. If I dial direct there is no problem.

The explanation from 18185 is

"We have checked on this but it looks like we do not receive the tones (correctly) from your provider. We suggest that you contact your provider about this (DTMF tones not send (correctly)"

I appreciate that Plusnet may not be fans of 18185 but surely they would not interfere with the tones once the call is established?

[#2]

Interesting...

First thoughts are, is this on more than one phone?

Any problems dialling numbers in general?

Are you on a particularly long line?

[#3]

If I dial direct there is no problem.

That would tend to indicate that PN are sending DTMF tones correctly.

My guess is that 19185 use voip to relay your calls to the destination. If the organisation you are calling also has a voip system, then they should negotiate how they prefer to send DTMF tones, sometimes this can be error prone.

[#4]

Any problems dialling numbers in general?

No

Are you on a particularly long line?

No

is this on more than one phone?

Because dialling direct is OK I had not considered the phone might be the issue but I will try and get hold of another phone to rule this out conclusively.

If the organisation you are calling also has a voip system, then they should negotiate how they prefer to send DTMF tones, sometimes this can be error prone.

I will do the phone test first and if that is OK will reply to 18185 quoting your comment.

[#5]

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@MisterW wrote:

My guess is that 19185 use voip to relay your calls to the destination. If the organisation you are calling also has a voip system, then they should negotiate how they prefer to send DTMF tones, sometimes this can be error prone.

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Good point, I think you've very likely nailed it.

[#6]

I plugged in a different handset and experienced exactly the same symptoms - so that would seem to exonerate the phone.

I then replied to 18185 with Mr W's comment. There response was:

We accept all kinds of DTMF negotiation so from our side it should work. We do not receive complaints from other users.

It does seem puzzling that they have not had other complaints.

Another other odd thing about using 18185 in recent times is that when connecting to some businesses the first few seconds of the call sounds slowed down (not a problem using the 0808 number).

[#7]

We accept all kinds of DTMF negotiation so from our side it should work. We do not receive complaints from other users.

TBH that response doesnt surprise me. Its one of those odd problems that noone really wants to investigate. The fact that it works reliably when you dial direct but intermittenly when through 18185 does indicate a problem between them and the destination. However, I suspect youre going to have to live with it...