vB Easy Archive - e815 contact limitations workaround?

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e815 contact limitations workaround?
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Posted by: merlin666

I just received my e815 and when I tried to enter some contacts I encountered a problem: most of my calls are to overseas #s using a calling card and require 40 or more digits while the e815 is limited to 32 digits. Is there a way to to setup speed dialling with the calling card info in one contact location and then prompt to speed dial the destination number stored in another contact allocation?

Posted by: dpkform

Quote:

Originally Posted by merlin666

I just received my e815 and when I tried to enter some contacts I encountered a problem: most of my calls are to overseas #s using a calling card and require 40 or more digits while the e815 is limited to 32 digits. Is there a way to to setup speed dialling with the calling card info in one contact location and then prompt to speed dial the destination number stored in another contact allocation?

Some of this is covered in the manual pages 75 to 76, but the manual does not explain that you can use the "n" feature to select contact numbers, not simply to enter a PIN via the keypad.

Yes - there is an easy way to do this using the "n" feature. Store your calling card number as a contact, and place an "n" in the calling card sequence where you would normally dial the number you wish to call. I am not sure if this specific method gets around the character limit - try it.

To place an "n" in the dialing sequence, while entering a number to store, hold the * key down until you see "n". When you call your calling card, you will be prompted for an "n" value, and you can then browse your contacts, dialed, and recent calls, and have those numbers sent as DTMF tones

This is the simplest method, the downside is that you have to store your calling card PIN number in your phone.

For greater security - this is how I do it - a little more tedious.

1) Create a contact e.g. "Calling Card" to store your calling card number.
2) store your calling card number into this location
a) note: by holding down the * key while entering numbers you can cause these special characters to appear as part of the number:
p - inserts a 2 second pause before continuing to send digits
w - waits for you to press send before continuing to send digits
n - like inserting a variable - it prompts you for what "n" should be prior to calling the contact - you should use this value to store your calling card PIN number of last few digits of your calling card PIN, so someone who gets a hold of your phone will not be able to use your calling card
3) Dial the Calling Card shortcut to enter your PIN and place your calling card call
4) Notice that while you are in a call, the top left button of your cell phone is given the soft label "contacts"
5) Press this button to bring up your contact list, select the contact using the arrow keys, and then the specific contact number (home, mobile, etc) you wish to call
6) Press the generic "menu" (top middle) button on your phone to bring up a list of options
7) Press "up" 3 times on your 4 way round arrow button to highlight "send tones". Then press the middle ring "ok" button to send the tones for the number you wish to call.
8) Some calling cards allow you to make another call without hanging up the calling card call. For example - by pressing * for 2 seconds, and then entering the next number you want to call. In that case simply repeat steps 4 to 7 to call another number without hanging up

Depending on how your calling card works, you may need to make small adjustments to this procedure, but you get the idea

Advantages of doing is this way vs storing the calling card number with each contact:

1) If you change you calling card number - you only need change it in one location, great if you use prepaid disposeable calling cards
2) By using the "n" digit feature you keep your PIN number, or part of your PIN number secure, since it is not stored in the phone, or alternatively, you can use "n" for the number you wish to call - making it very easy to use a calling card
3) Can dial multiple numbers without redialing your calling card - if your calling card has this feature

Disadvantages
1) more tedious - but much less tedious than dialing manually
2) can not dial an entire number with voice dial

You may want to look into "Motorola Phone Tools" software and cable

http://direct.motorola.com/ENS/Web_...ondaryOption=16

, so you can enter numbers in your computer, or even sync contact information from your computer to your phone.

Posted by: fastcivic416

does anyone know how many phone numbers the e815 can hold? is it 1000 contacts?

Posted by: merlin666

Great info, I was wondering what the "n" in the menu was for. It is interesting that if I append a second n to the PIN number to then be prompted for the overseas number, the 32 digit problem resurfaces. So it seems that the "send tone" approach is most suitable. Now is it possible to use a speed-dial number for n instead of selecting from the list of contacts?