TECHNICAL BULLETIN #120 - Rev 1.00 (7/30/96) ============================================================================== TITLE : Using Long Distance Calling Cards PRODUCT : PROCOMM PLUS 2.xx for Windows ============================================================================== Phone cards (often called calling cards) are a convenient way to make long distance calls, and can be implemented in PROCOMM PLUS for Windows. This document explains how to set up PROCOMM PLUS to use phone cards. It also details the actual dialing sequence to help troubleshoot Phone Card dialing if necessary. This document assumes you are using PROCOMM PLUS for Windows 2.x and have installed a Hayes compatible modem. SETTING UP A PHONE CARD You can reach the Phone Card menu in Current Setup by clicking on Setup on the Terminal Window menu, selecting Extended Menu, and selecting Phone Card. You can also click Setup from the Dialing Directory menu to reach Current Setup. Each Phone Card entry has two fields, the Phone Card Information field and the Dialing Order field. Select a Phone Card you want to use in the Current Phone Card field, then type in the pertinent numbers in the Phone Card Information field. The phone card number and pin number will be hidden from view for security purposes the next time this screen is opened, and there is no way to view these numbers in the future unless you delete them and type them in again. You can create as many Phone Cards as you like by clicking the Save As... button and saving your setups as different names. You can then choose these names in the Dialing Directory. The Dialing Order box is where you tell PROCOMM PLUS for Windows the proper dialing sequence of any Dialing Directory entry using this phone card. If you are unsure of the proper order for your card, dialing a number manually and writing the steps down may help. Typically, a user might dial the service phone number, then wait for the 'Bong' (identifying tones) and the name of the company who supplied the card. Then the entry phone number (the place or person you want to call) is dialed. The phone card number and pin number (if one is used) is then dialed. An example of this order is displayed below. 1. dial SERVICE PHONE NUMBER | then delay 10 seconds 2. dial ENTRY PHONE NUMBER | then delay 10 seconds 3. dial PHONE CARD NUMBER | then delay 8 seconds 4. dial PIN NUMBER | then delay 1 seconds 5. dial COMPLETED | then delay 0 seconds The order and the delay are dependent on the service who supplied your card. The delay can also depend on where you are located. The above delays are examples, and you will need to dial the entry a few times from the Dialing Directory to make sure the delays are accurate. It will help to know PROCOMM PLUS for Windows starts counting down the delay after it sends the number to your modem, and it is possible your modem may still be dialing when the delay is over. It is best then to start with these delays being high (10 to 15 seconds) and reduce the delay where necessary. The last setting to adjust is the line Replace Dialing Prefix With [ ] for International and [ ] for Long Distance, under Dialing Order. It prompts you for the digit to dial just before the area code when dialing the Entry Phone Number. In the Dialing Directory, Options, Dialing Options, the Long Distance Dialing Prefix is usually '1.' Since many phone card services require you dial '0' instead of '1,' this option overrides the Long Distance Dialing Prefix in your Dialing Directory, and can be any number, including no number. Setting up a Dialing Directory entry to use a phone card. 1. Open the Dialing Directory by clicking on the phone book icon, or select "Open Directory" from the File menu. 2. Click on Options on the Dialing Directory menu, then select Dialing Options. Make sure the check box labeled "Use Phone Card if specified" is checked, then click OK. 3. In the Dialing Directory, find an entry you want to dial using your phone card and highlight it. If the entry's telephone number is not displayed in the upper right of the Dialing Directory, click the Edit Entry>> button to display the entry's stored information. A column of five buttons also appears at the bottom. 4. Click the Advanced Options button and choose the phone card you want to use for this entry. This setting is specific to this entry and must be set for each entry you want to use with your card. 5. Click the Basic Options button. Make sure Call Type is set to Long Distance. If this is set to Local, PROCOMM PLUS for Windows will ignore your phone card and dial the number as a local number. If you travel and dial a certain number as both a local and long distance call, you can change the Call Type to Local or Long Distance to tell PROCOMM PLUS for Windows when to use your phone card. What's actually dialed when you use a phone card? PROCOMM PLUS for Windows uses Hayes-Compatible AT commands to dial the number, hide your phone card number from the screen for security, and tell your modem to ignore a dial tone on the phone line. Below is a list of the AT commands used for dialing an entry with a phone card, which can also be found in the user manual for your modem. AT - stands for 'attention,' and proceeds all command strings. DT - stands for 'dial, tone' - tells the modem to send tones representing touch-tone numbers through the phone line. If using a pulse line, DP would be used. X3 - tells the modem not to look for dial tone before it dials. Helpful because when using a calling card, a dial tone isn't always present. E0 - tells the modem not to echo back any information to the screen. By default, PROCOMM PLUS for Windows doesn't display any text on the monitor until the computer sends it to the displayed on the screen, since the modem does not send them back to the computer. E1 - tells the modem to turn Echo back on, or to send all future commands back to PROCOMM ; - the semi-colon tells the modem to remain in command state for further instruction after connect. For the Dialing Order example shown above, the command strings PROCOMM PLUS for Windows sends to your modem are listed below. Phrases in italics correspond to number strings dialed. Phrases in [brackets] correspond to the AT commands sent to your modem. Your modem responds OK after a command has been successfully executed. ATX3DT(numbers); - [attention][ignore dialtone][dial these numbers in tone](long distance outside line)(Service phone number)[remain in command state] OK - returned by modem ATX3E0DT(numbers); - [attention][ignore dialtone][do not echo characters back][dial these numbers in tone](replace dialing prefix with [ ] for long distance)(area code of dialing directory entry)(dialing directory fax/data/voice entry)[remain in command state] OK - returned by modem * NOTE: Though E0 appears in this string, the modem will echo the string back before it actually executes the commands. Therefore, this string appears on the screen. The next strings will not be seen on your screen, but you will see OK back from your modem. ATX3DT(numbers); - [attention][ignore dialtone][dial these numbers in tone](hidden phone card number)[remain in command state] OK - returned by modem ATX3E1DT(numbers) - [attention][ignore dialtone][echo characters back][dial these numbers in tone] (pin number) Notice the last string turns echo back on, and does not end with a semi-colon. The modem now goes into communication state and waits for another modem or fax machine to answer and start negotiating to connect. In the Call Progress Box, the above transaction between PROCOMM PLUS for Windows and the modem looks like this: Dialing Order: In Call Progress Box: dial SERVICE PHONE NUMBER | then delay 10 seconds | ATX3DT(numbers); | | | OK dial ENTRY PHONE NUMBER | then delay 10 seconds | ATX3E0DT(numbers); | | OK dial PHONE CARD NUMBER | then delay 8 seconds | | | OK dial PIN NUMBER | then delay 0 seconds | dial COMPLETED | then delay 0 seconds | Notice the last two lines are hidden, but the next command will be displayed because of the E1 in the last string. PROCOMM PLUS for Windows will automatically add E0 to the string before your pin number and phone card number, and add E1 to the last hidden string. Because PROCOMM PLUS for Windows can hide numbers in the Current Setup and while dialing, the Phone Card feature can also be used for security codes, your social security number, or any sequence of numbers. You can automate phoning in to your bank by naming a Phone Card 'Bank,' and using a Voice dialing directory entry to dial your bank. Once PROCOMM PLUS for Windows has dialed your social security number and pin number, pick up the phone and proceed with the call. If you want to use the Phone card feature when dialing a local number, set the call to Long Distance in the Dialing Directory, but leave the Area Code field blank. Save a Phone Card for use with this service, and in Setup, Phone Card, Dialing Order, leave the line Replace Dialing Prefix With [ ] for International and [ ] for Long Distance blank. PROCOMM PLUS for Windows will skip the long distance prefix and proceed with your Dialing Order sequence when dialing that entry. If you need additional help with Phone Card setup, refer to page 6-54 of your User's Guide. ========================================================================== To ensure that you have the latest version of this document, compare its revision number to that of the same document on any of our support sites. This technical bulletin may be copied and distributed freely as long as it is distributed in its entirety and it is not distributed for profit. Copyright (c) 1996 Quarterdeck All rights reserved. ==========================================================================