The following optional calling features are available where our equipment will support their use.
Consult a customer service representative to see if these features are available in your area and to obtain pricing information. Some optional calling features are not compatible with other calling features.
Caller ID
Uses special signaling between telephone company equipment to provide the identity of the telephone that a person is using to place a call to you. The calling identity provided will only display the associated telephone number of the originating phone. You will need to purchase a caller ID equipped telephone or an add-on caller ID display unit to use caller ID. Caller ID service includes the Automatic Callback and Automatic Recall features. If you also have the Call Waiting feature installed on the same line, Caller ID on Call Waiting will be added to preserve the caller ID function on your line.
Caller ID Blocking
Allows you to block your calling identity on an outgoing call. Caller ID Blocking will automatically be installed on all customer telephone lines. Caller ID is not a prerequisite.
Per-Call Blocking: Allows you to block your calling identity only on selected calls by dialing a blocking code prior to placing your call.
- To use per call blocking dial *67 from a touch-tone equipped telephone or 1167 from a rotary dial phone prior to dialing the number you wish to call. Your identity will only be blocked for the current call.
Line Blocking: Blocks your calling identity on all outgoing calls except for selected calls where you dial an un-blocking code.
- To un-block your identity dial *82 from a touch-tone equipped phone or 1182 from a rotary equipped phone prior to dialing the number you wish to call.
Some things to remember about caller ID blocking:
- Every telephone will be set to use either Per-Call Blocking or Line Blocking. Unless you specify, we will automatically install Per-Call Blocking on your telephone.
- Per-Call Blocking allows your calling identity to pass on every call except for those calls where you block your calling identity.
- Line Blocking always blocks your calling identity except when you dial the unblock code first.
- If you block your identity your call may not complete. The person you are calling may have special features on their telephone that reject calls from blocked numbers.
- You do not have to order Caller ID to use these blocking features. Blocking features are available to all customers at no charge, however there may be a charge associated with changing from one blocking type to another.
- Your identity will only be displayed when you call a telephone that is equipped with Caller ID.
Automatic Callback
Included with Caller ID. Automatic callback calls the last phone number you dialed from your phone. If that number is busy our equipment monitors the status of the phone you called for up to 30 minutes. When both your phone and the phone you called are idle, your phone rings and displays the number to be called on your caller ID display. If you answer, your call will be placed. If you do not answer, the call is not placed.
- To use Automatic Callback dial *66 from a touch-tone equipped phone or 1166 from a rotary equipped phone. If the called phone is busy, hang up and the equipment will monitor the called phone. You may dial *86 or 1186 from your phone to cancel redial.
Some things to remember about automatic callback
- You may have automatic callback requests for multiple numbers active at the same time.
- You may use your phone to make other calls, but you will only be notified that your Automatic Callback call can be placed when both your phone and the phone you are calling are idle within the 30-minute time allotment.
- Automatic Callback does not work on 800 numbers, 900 numbers, operator, directory assistance or on numbers where call forwarding has been activated. It may not work outside your local calling area.
Automatic Recall (Last Call Return)
Included with caller ID. Automatic Recall Calls back the last telephone that called you. If that number is busy, our equipment monitors the status of the phone you called for up to 30 minutes. When both your phone and the phone you called are idle, your phone rings and displays the number to be called on your caller ID display. If you answer, your call will be placed. If you do not answer, the call is not placed.
- To use Automatic Recall, listen for dial tone, dial *69 from a touch-tone equipped phone or 1169 from a rotary phone. If the line is busy, hang up and our equipment will alert you when your call may be placed. You may cancel all redial requests by dialing the cancel code *89 or 1189 at any time.
Some things to remember about automatic recall
- The returned call may be long distance from your phone.
- You may use your phone to make other calls, but you will only be notified that your Automatic Recall can be placed when both your phone and the phone you are calling are idle within the 30-minute time allotment.
- In some areas after you dial *69 a recorded voice may tell you the phone number you are calling and ask you if you want to continue the call.
- Automatic Recall does not work on 800 numbers, 900 numbers, on numbers where call forwarding has been activated, or if the person that called you last blocked their calling identity. It may not work outside your local calling area.
Changed or Disconnected Numbers
If you change your number or voluntarily disconnect your phone, we can provide an announcement to notify callers of your new number for up to 3 months after the change. In order to set up the referral, you must give us a new telephone number where callers can reach you prior to the number change or disconnection.
Selective Call Screening
Selective Call Screening is a powerful tool that lets you customize how you receive incoming calls on your phone. Telemarketers and callers blocking their identity will hear a recorded message telling them that the number they have reached does not accept calls from telemarketers or private callers. Telemarketers are instructed to hang up and add your number to their do not call list. Persons who block their calling identity will be given the option to dial a 1 to reveal their calling identity to you and allow their call to complete.
You will also be able to add callers to the "blocked" caller list. Callers that are on the "blocked" list will receive a message stating that the number they have reached does not accept calls from the phone they are calling from.
These screening features may be turned on and off by dialing the appropriate activation and deactivation codes from your phone.
Call Waiting
Call Waiting allows you to answer a second call while you are using your telephone.
To Use Call Waiting
While on your telephone you will hear a brief tone signaling that you have another call. Ten seconds later you will hear a reminder tone. The caller will hear ringing instead of a busy signal. To answer the second call, quickly depress the receiver on your phone and answer the second call. You may return to the first call by hanging up, wait for your phone to ring, and then answer the call. To cancel either call, hang up and then when your phone rings you will be connected with the person you asked to remain on the line.
To Temporarily Cancel Call Waiting
Before making your call dial 70# from a touch-tone phone or 1170 from a rotary phone. You will hear three short tones followed by a dial tone. Call waiting is now turned off. Place your call. When you hang up, call waiting will automatically be restored.
Some things to remember about call waiting
- When you are on the phone and another person calls, the second caller will hear ringing, not a busy signal.
- There will be a reminder tone ten seconds after the first tone.
- You can switch back and forth, between callers as often as you want simply by depressing the switch-hook briefly.
Call Forwarding
Call forwarding lets you transfer your incoming calls to any telephone that you can dial in the USA. NOTE: If you forward your calls to a telephone that is long distance from your phone, long-distance charges will apply to all forwarded calls.
To Forward Calls From Your Phone
Listen for dial tone. Dial 72# from a touch-tone phone or 1172 from a rotary phone. Listen for a second dial tone. Dial the number you want to receive your calls. Wait for the receiving phone to be answered. If there is no answer or the receiving phone is busy, hang up and repeat the procedure from the first step. Two short tones will tell you that call forwarding is activated.
To Forward Calls From Remote Phone
You can forward your calls when you are away from home. First you must contact customer service to set up a PIN code and receive the dial-up access number for your area. From the remote phone, call the access number. You will hear three brief tones. Dial your home 7-digit telephone number + PIN number. You will hear three brief tones. Dial 72#, you hear three brief tones again. Dial the number you want to receive your calls. Two short tones will tell you that call forwarding is activated.
NOTE: The access number is not toll-free, long-distance charges will apply if you are not in your local calling area.
To Cancel Call Forwarding
From your home phone, listen for the dial tone. Dial 73# from a touch-tone phone or 1173 from a rotary phone. Two short tones will tell you that call forwarding is deactivated. From a remote phone, call the access number. You will hear three brief tones. Dial your home phone number and PIN code. You will hear three brief tones. Dial 73#. Two short tones will tell you that call forwarding is deactivated.
Some things to remember about call forwarding:
- Call forwarding continues until you cancel it from your telephone.
- You can make outgoing calls from your telephone while call forward is activated.
- When your phone is set to call forwarding, it will ring once when someone calls to remind you that your calls are being forwarded. You cannot answer these calls while call forwarding is activated.
- Be sure to tell the person who will receive your calls that you are using call forwarding, especially if you will not be where your calls will be forwarded.
- You will pay the applicable charges, if any, for calls forwarded from your telephone including long distance charges if you forward your calls outside your local calling area.
Call Forward Busy/Don't Answer
Call Forward Busy/Don't Answer acts like two separate features. You can set your phone to forward when your phone is busy, you can set your phone to forward when you do not answer it, or you can set both forward options to work at the same time.
To turn on Call Forward Busy, listen for dial tone, dial *90 from a touch-tone phone or 1190 from a rotary phone. Listen for a second dial tone. Dial the number you want to receive your calls. When the phone you are forwarding to is answered, call forward busy is activated. If the second phone is busy or is not answered, repeat the procedure from the first step. Two short tones will tell you that the feature is activated.
To cancel Call Forward Busy, listen for dial tone, dial *91 from a touch-tone phone or 1191 from a rotary phone. Two short tones will tell you the feature is deactivated.
To turn on Call Forward/Don't Answer, listen for dial tone, dial *92 from a touch-tone phone or 1192 from a rotary phone. Listen for a second dial tone. Dial the number of times your phone should ring before it is forwarded (between 2 and 9 rings). Then dial the number you want to receive your calls. When the phone you are forwarding to is answered, Call Forward/Don't Answer is activated. If the second phone is busy or is not answered, repeat the procedure from the first step. Two short tones will tell you that the feature is activated.
To cancel Call Forward/Don't Answer, listen for dial tone, dial *93 (or 1193) from your phone. Two short tones will tell you the feature is deactivated.
Some things to remember Call Forward Busy/Don't Answer:
- Normal call forwarding forwards all calls. Call Forward Busy/Don't Answer only forwards calls when your phone is busy or you do not answer it.
- You may activate Call Forward Busy/Don't Answer separately or together.
- You cannot activate normal call forwarding and Call Forward Busy/Don't Answer at the same time.
- You cannot remotely activate Call Forward Busy/Don't Answer. You must activate it from your phone.
- Once activated, Call Forward Busy/Don't Answer remains active until you turn it off.
- Be sure to tell the person that will receive your forwarded calls before forwarding them.
- You will pay any applicable long-distance charges, if any, for calls forwarded from your phone.
Three-Way Calling
This service lets you add a third person to your conversation.
To Add a Third Person to an Existing Call: Depress the switch-hook briefly. Listen for three short bursts of tone. Dial the second number. You are now connected privately to second party. Depress the switch-hook briefly again to add the first party.
Some things to remember about three-way calling:
- Either person you call can simply hang-up the phone leaving you in a two-way conversation with the other person.
- If the second number is busy or does not answer, depress the switch-hook twice briefly to reconnect yourself to the original call.
- If you hang up while you still have one party on hold, your phone will ring. Answer and resume your conversation.
- To add a different person, have either person hang up or depress the switch-hook briefly to remove the third person, then follow the steps to add a third person to an existing call.
Speed Calling
Speed Calling provides one-digit codes for up to 8 of the telephone numbers you call most. You can dial both local and long-distance calls with Speed Calling.
To Add Or Change Speed Calling Numbers: Listen for dial tone. Dial 74#. Listen for dial tone. Dial the single-digit code (2 thru 9) you want substituted for the desired telephone number. Dial the telephone number to be associated with that code. Listen for three short bursts of tone. Hang up.
To Place A Speed Call: Dial the desired code (2 thru 9), then Dial the # key or wait 4 seconds, your call will be placed.
Distinctive Ringing
This feature allows you to have one telephone number for yourself and a separate telephone number for other family members by associating a second separate telephone number with your primary line. The distinctive ring phone number has a different ringing pattern assigned to it so that you can easily tell whether the call was placed to your primary line or the family member's distinctive ring line.
Call waiting, speed calling, three way calling, and selective call screening, may separately be installed as options on both the primary line and a distinctive ringing line. With call waiting on a distinctive ringing line, a distinct call waiting tone will identify which line is receiving the call while you are using your primary line.
Some things to remember about distinctive ringing:
- You must first have a primary flat rate single party line before a distinctive ringing line can be added.
- Distinctive ringing lines are for incoming calls only. Calls you place use the primary line.
- All toll charges are billed to the primary line and cannot be separately identified on a bill.
- Only one active incoming or outgoing call can exist on the phone line at one time.
- Most fax machines or answering machines CANNOT tell the difference between a normal ring tone and a distinctive ring tone.
Scheduled Conference Calls
You may call our office to set up a scheduled conference call. Between 3 and 8 persons can call the conference bridge and participate in the call at one time.
The person that orders the conference is known as the conference administrator. The conference administrator will be given the bridge number and a unique pass code to be given to the conference participants.
A participant will call the conference bridge number and be prompted for a pass code. If the person enters a correct pass code, they will be placed in the conference. Participants that call the conference bridge before the administrator has called in will be placed on hold until the administrator calls. When participants join or exit the conference, a tone will sound as a notification to other participants.
Some things to remember about scheduled conference calls:
- Programming a scheduled conference takes time, we prefer that you call at least 1 hour in advance to schedule a conference.
- Scheduled conferences are sold in one-hour blocks.
- Depending upon where your attendees will be calling from, they may have to pay long-distance charges to participate.
- Once all participants hang up or after the purchased time expires, the conference will be terminated. Please make sure that you purchase enough time to conduct your business.