Dialing Contacts With Outlook 2003

[Yesod]

Hi,

I'm revamping alot of the systems at a job I just started. One big change will be the ability of case managers to dial contacts from outlook. Problem is, we have only a 768k DSL connection so VoIP would probably chew up the little bandwidth we have. It also costs too much.

My solution was to install 56k modems in the computers and run the phones through the modems. What I did is plug the phone (regular 12 line office phone) into the "phone" jack in the modem, and the cord from the wall into the "line" jack on the modem. When I dialed with outlook, I added the 9 we use to acces outside lines. I tried it both manually and with the auto entry function Outlook's dialer has. I also tried adding the 1 and area code (even though the call was local). The only way I got a ring was when I picked the phone up, dialed 9 to acess the outside line, and dialed the number through outlook. One ring, which registered on my cell phone, and straight to dial tone. When I tried to follow the procedure regularly, The phone would have audible dialing, but then the pulsing dial tone came on, like when you take to long to enter a number and the phones still off the hook. I tried the phone tools application, no rings at all and not a lick of customer service.

Anybody got any experience? Maybe even a suggestion of another route, besides VoIP. There should be USB office phones out there if you ask me.

Thanks,

Yesod

[mara-]

I'm not sure will this help, but you can try. This is for XP, I don't know how to do same for Vista.

Go to Control Panel (Make sure that Category View is activated)->Network and Internet Connections. On left panel open Phone and Modem Options. Choose tab Modems. Select your Modem and open it's Properties. Choose Modem tab and uncheck option "Wait for dial tone before dialing".

Cheers

Edited August 29, 2008 by mara-

[Yesod]

Actually it made my entire computer freeze up, but only when I dialed the 9 on the phone and the rest on Outlook. The same lock up happened when I installed the software package that came with the modem. It was for making calls and sending faxes.

-Yesod

[mara-]

If you computer froze, than something is wrong with your modem or with PCI slot where modem is attached. I remember that this happened to me when opening port before dialing.

Cheers