Microsoft KB Archive/137716

Knowledge Base

Works 95: Dialing a Local Call Using a Different Area Code

Article ID: 137716

Article Last Modified on 11/15/2004

---

APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Works 4.5 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Works 4.0 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Works 4.0a

---

This article was previously published under Q137716

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to dial a local telephone number with an area code different from yours, Works dials the number, but the call is dialed as a long distance call and may be charged higher dialing rates.

CAUSE

Works uses the modem's Windows 95 Dialing Properties for the Dial This Number command and handling of communications files. Windows 95 is designed to add a preceding "1" before a telephone number if the number has a different area code than your area code. To correctly dial a local phone number in a different area code, you would need to dial the area code plus the local phone number, without the preceding "1".

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem with the Dial This Number command, use the Dialing Properties in the Control Panel to create dialing rules to control how the call is dialed.

Configuring Dialing Properties

To have Works dial the call to a different area code as a local call, do the following:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Modems.
3. Make sure the Modem you want to use is selected, then click Dialing Properties.
4. To enter a new location, click New. Type a name for the location. For example, if you live in the 360 area code but calls to the 425 area code are local calls, you might call the new location "To 425 area code."
5. For the new location, enter the area code for the number you want to dial (in this example, 425).
6. Select the Dial Using Calling Card check box, and click New.
7. Type a name for the new calling card, and then click OK.
8. Click Advanced.
9. Use the following table to configure the Dialing Rules dialog box, and then click Close.
   
   

   Field	Dialing Rule
   Calls Within The Same Area Code	FG
   Long Distance Calls	1FG
   International Calls	011EFG

   
   Meaning of the Dialing Rules:

   F - Inserts Area code when dialing
   G - Inserts Local phone number when dialing
   E - Inserts Country code when dialing

   To list other Dialing Rules, right-click the field names and then click What's This? to see information about valid entries for each field.

Changing to a Different Location

To switch to a different location created using the steps above, do the following:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Modems.
3. Make sure the Modem you want to use is selected, then click Dialing Properties.
4. Select the appropriate location in the I Am Dialing From: box, and then choose OK.

Example

For example, your local area code is 360, and the number to the local pizza delivery is (425) 999-9999; however, the call is not long distance. Because the area codes are different, Windows 95 dials the number as a long distance number, 1-425-999-9999. To dial the number as a local call, without the "1", you would need to create dialing rules. You create a new location called "To 425 Area code" (without the quotes) using the steps above. In this scenario, the area code is 425. Then, when you want to dial a number with an area code of 425, you would choose the "To 425 Area code" location before highlighting the number to dial in a Works document.

Dialing in a Communications File

In a Communications file, these dialing properties are not needed, and may actually cause problems. To dial a number as a local call with a different area code, you need to clear the Dial Using Calling Card option for the modem, or return to your Default location.

1. Open a Works Communication file.
2. In the Easy Connect dialog box, enter your area code in the Area Code box.
3. In the Phone Number box, enter area code and number to dial.
4. Click OK.
5. In the Dial dialog box, set the Location to Default Location.
6. Click Dial to dial the number.

MORE INFORMATION

Some cities or regions may have more than one area code, and calls between these area codes are not long distance calls. This is true for cities such as Atlanta, Houston, and Toronto, among others.

For additional information on Windows 95 and dialing information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

129049 How to Perform 10-Digit Dialing in Windows 95

121891 Windows 95 Adds a Preceding "1" If Area Codes are Different

137785 How to Use a Number Other Than 1 When Dialing Long Distance

Additional query words: 4.00 4.00a 4.50 95 works95 configuration autodial prefix calling codes setup w_works

Keywords: kbprb KB137716

---

Send feedback to Microsoft

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.