Initiate a phone call remotely?

[Roger Mills]

I've just renewed my BT Line Rental Saver contract for the line in my holiday flat (including free evening and weekend calls) and BT now seem to be imposing monthly - rather than quarterly - billing for customers using this deal.

I'm pretty sure that, in order to continue to qualify for free Caller Display, etc., I still need to make a specified number of potentially chargeable calls each billing period. That wasn't a problem with quarterly billing because I was always at the flat often enough to make enough calls each quarter - most of which would be free evening calls to my answering machine at my main home!

However, there may be some times when I don't visit the flat for more than a month - so, with monthly billing, I may sometimes be unable to make the requisite number of calls.

So - eventually getting to the point after a long preamble - can anyone suggest the best way of making calls from the flat without actually being there? There isn't a computer there when I'm not there - otherwise, if I left one running, I could probably set up a scheduled task to use a modem to dial out at regular intervals. However, there

*is* a permanent internet connection, with a router which I can access remotely to check that the connection's still up. Could I attach anything to that which would do the dialling and which could be controlled remotely? Or, is there a stand-alone bit of kit with a built-in timer which could do it?

TIA.

[Andy Burns]

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.

[Brian Gaff]

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

[John Rumm]

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

[Theo Markettos]

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

30 seconds regardless, job done. As long as the other end answers you've made a 'chargeable call' even if there's no content.

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

[polygonum]

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?

[Theo Markettos]

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

[David Woolley]

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.

[polygonum]

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

[John Rumm]

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.

[Andrew Benham]

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.

[Peter Able]

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

[polygonum]

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

[Roger Mills]

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

[Graham.]

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

[Roger Mills]

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.

[Roger Mills]

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

[Bernard Peek]

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?

[Andy Burns]

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.

[John Rumm]

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)