Initiate a phone call remotely?

A VoIP adapter (e.g SPA3102) with an ethernet connection to the ADSL router, and PSTN connection to the phone line, you could then make a VoIP call "in" to the ATA which it is configured to dial "out" via the PSTN

I use 0330 1234 151 (BT residential faults service) for my mandatory two calls, the email from BT to say the bill is ready is the reminder to make the calls, regardless of whether I can remember making other calls that month or not.

I have a feeling these have to be answered calls as well so one cannot just dial any old number. Brian

Old voice capable modem, and a cheap low power computer like a Pi?

Doesn't even need to do voice, a bog standard modem should do. Dial the speaking clock (020 70431320 is a geographic version from a uk.telecom regular) or whatever, the modem negotiation will try and fail, hang up after

Depending on your router, it might have an internal serial port you can use to do talk to the modem if you can run a basic script on it (eg if it runs Linux and you can get a shell somehow). Or put OpenWRT on a spare router to do the same thing. Might need some voltage shifters for the serial port (eg a mobile phone data cable).

Theo

Can someone explain to me why BT think it necessary to impose such silly requirements? Especially if they can be fulfilled by all sorts of workarounds. Don't we usually expect to pay more if we use something more - rather than (as it appears) pay more if we don't use enough of it?

Because BT make most of their profit on calls, therefore they want you to make some. They want to discourage you from having a line you only use to receive calls, or just for ADSL, and so if you don't use the line you pay more to make up for what revenue they didn't get from call charges.

This is why telcos love talking about how many pennies you save on line rental (eg Virgin's 'free' phone line) but fail to mention how expensive their calls are... (32p/min to Three mobiles on Virgin).

Theo

As well as eliminating incoming only lines, it ensures that the average user (who won't automate the process) knows how to make outgoing calls, via BT, on the line.

Can see what you mean if it is a vanilla line. But if the tariff is one where the calls are not charged... ?

Or, possibly see if one could found an old dial in router that had secure phone back capability - used to be popular in corporate circles - you would phone it, it would then phone back on a preprogrammed number.

Before I moved away from BT Retail, I used to call my doctor's surgery once every Sunday morning in order to make the required number of calls to keep Caller ID free. Weekend calls to 01/02/03 numbers were free, and the surgery (being closed) answered the call with a recorded message.

IIRC, Rod, BT were challenged over their original scheme - where the calls must be chargeable, as in you actually render some money to BT. Their fudge was to hold onto the word chargeable but accept that if the call was within the bundle definition of an exempted call then whilst it would be free to you it would be classified as chargeable. I guess that it is similar to HMRC having two classes of VAT - one called VAT-exempt and the other called zero-rated ;-}}

I'm on the basic, weekend bundle and just pay the Annual Line Saver rental. Like the OP, I've noted the change to monthly and just have to remember to make a connecting call to an 0845 Bank or a Building Society twice a month rather than six times a quarter - on Saturday or Sunday.

Pathetic - init!

PA

I can see what you mean about how they got there - but still it's madness!

That's not a problem. If it calls my main home, either I will answer it, or the answering machine will!

This is true, That's why you would use a number that is answered automatically by an auto-attendant such as the example Andy gave

The only problem with that is that it would respond to *all* incoming calls and potentially make outgoing calls at times when they are chargeable. Also, it would have to answer before the answering machine cut in, so no-one would be able to leave a message.

Ideally, I would like something which I could initiate by talking to the router over the internet.

Sounds interesting, but I don't quite understand. Is there any chance that you could spell it out in a bit more detail?

What you want to do really needs some sort of computer system. The cheapest way of doing it would be to use a Raspberry Pi costing around £30 but you can get an awful lot of phone calls for £30. Will it save you that much?

The VoIP adapter I suggested has all the intelligence required.

If you happen not to make the required two chargeable calls per month, they charge you £1.50/month for not making the calls and £2.70/month for the otherwise-free caller-id.

Well if you want to get posh, a Draytek Vigor 2830 has triple wan capability, VPN termination and the ability to fall back to POTS modem dialup if required. Also various VoIP capabilities with POTS passthrough. (quite a decent router, and 802.11n wifi box as well)