Unable to select options (Press 1 for Sales, 2 for Accounts, etc) with overseas numbers

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › Unable to select options (Press 1 for Sales, 2 for Accounts, etc) with overseas numbers

milehighclubnz

4 posts

Wannabe Geek
Inactive user

#183853 1-Nov-2015 15:00

When calling overseas, I am unable to select the automated menu (for example "Press 1 for Sales"..) When I press whatever number required, there's no response. I've tried different countries (USA, UK, Singapore, Taiwan, etc) and I even changed the home phone sets (cordless, with cord).

This issue has actually been around for a long time, previously I used Skype for this type of calls as I didn't have to call overseas frequently.

Recently I've had to make more business calls to overseas and I need a reliable, working landline that I can use select options when encountering automated system, which is prevalent everywhere nowadays. Many don't have the option of "Please hold, we'll transfer you to an operator". You have to press a number to get to the next stage. I have no issues with such calls to NZ numbers.

My family and friends on other providers (e.g. Spark) have no such issue. Is it just me or everyone on Flip/Compass-owned brands like Orcon, Slingshot, etc has this as well?

Cheers

pdath

252 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1418162 1-Nov-2015 15:12

It will be to do with the way DTMF is being encoded (in band or out of band). You should open a fault with your provider. It sounds easy to re-produce.

Try my latest project, a Cisco type 5 enable secret password cracker written in javascript!

Flip

14 posts

Geek

Trusted

Flip

#1418520 2-Nov-2015 08:46

Hi there,

As far as I know this isn't widespread, although the problem sounds reasonably obscure enough for people not to notice.

Definitely start off by giving our tech team a call on 0800 60 8324 so they can gather some details and raise it with tier 2. :)

NonprayingMantis

6434 posts

Uber Geek

#1419089 2-Nov-2015 18:51

Edt: sorry posted on entirely wrong thread. Pls ignore

milehighclubnz

4 posts

Wannabe Geek
Inactive user

#1439317 2-Dec-2015 15:12

An update to this issue - still unresolved.

What I am most bothered by the issue is not the inconvenience of not able to use automated menus/options with international calls, but the indifference of Flip's staff to my problem.

Shortly before I posted this thread I emailed Flip to inform them of the issue, and below was the reply I got from a "Senior Support Representative":

Unfortunately we have no control over International IVR systems, as it's up for the receiving party to allow other phone networks across the globe to use their incoming IVR's. These are usually restrictions set for security purposes with the company, we can't unfortunately investigate this as we have no access to their IVR systems.

No offence, but this sounded a load of BS so I replied:

I don't think the international IVR systems are to blame. My family and friends on Spark/Vodafone, etc can select menu options when they call overseas numbers. This must be a setup issue with Flip, and/or maybe CallPlus Group and Chorus. If Flip's system is like (name of the senior rep) suggested, gets blocked/unresponsive, by every single overseas IVR, for security purposes, then Flip better asks itself why that is the case.

then the senior rep replied again (credit to him for fast response):

I completely understand where you're coming from, but we have raised this with our networks team in the past and confirmed that international routing can only be altered on the receiving parties end. We simply cannot make alterations to the receiving parties end to bypass their IVR restrictions, however this is not the case for all IVR's as it happens to a select few companies. International IVR's do operate through Flip if it's accepted on the receiving parties end. If the call successfully connects and you call the company and reach an IVR, that means Flip has completed it's end of the routing by connecting your call to the given location - any functions or systems after the call has been connected falls outside of our control.

After I posted here, I followed Flip Geekzone rep's advice to call the tech support, and that was more than 2 weeks ago. Haven't heard anything back so called again today, and the agent was still clueless, I did manage to get a ticket number, if that ever helps.

While I can use Skype to get by, I think I will be looking for a new telco company other than the ones under CallPlus after New Year's, if Flip isn't interested in my business.