Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: watcher Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Automatic Call Forwarding Message-ID: <12442@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 21 Sep 90 07:27:42 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: Northern Star Communications, Ltd. Lines: 37 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 667, Message 4 of 12 Some years ago I heard of an automatic call fowarding device (this was before call forwarding was offered as an option by the telcos; it was, in fact, pre-divestiture) that worked like this: you had two lines; the first one rings (your "real" number); device dials out on the second line; then conferences the lines together. Sure, you would have to have two lines, but if you already have an extra one for the dial-out modem, this wouldn't be a problem. Such a device would be simpler and more straightforward, and with the addition of some intelligence (say, a 6502? :-) could be reprogrammed remotely, have pin numbers, etc, as well as other interesting features, such as the ability to forward a number only during certain hours, otherwise leaving it unanswered or diverting it to an answering machine. It could forward to different numbers based on the time of day, or the day of the week. It could keep a log of when calls were forwarded, where, and for how long. If it knew how much it cost, it could keep tabs on that. If the volume of calls was not too terribly high, it could even forward both directions, i.e. calls on line A get forwarded to number C through line B, while calls to line B get forwarded to number D through line A. Better yet: have three-way calling on the outgoing line that could then be used remotely; even better still, have TWO outgoing lines with three-way calling that could be conferenced together WITH the incoming line, making it possible to set up small conferences by dialing in. Of course, the more complicated, the more engineering headaches and programming nightmares, but such a thing is definitely feasible, and probably not very expensive. I could probably even design the controller and write the software! Unfortunately, I'm just not an analog person. James Watcher (yes, that's what it says on my driver's license) nstar!watcher@ndmath.math.nd.edu (fast) PO Box 875 Notre Dame, IN 46556 (slow)