56K.COM: Call Waiting and Modem FAQ by Daniel Rosenzweig

DSL ISPs    Cable Companies    Dialup Internet Service Providers

`Special Report:`

`Call Waiting and Modem FAQ`

`Sharing one phone line with a modem, dealing with busy signals.`

by Daniel Rosenzweig

With DSL and Cable Broadband Internet on the rise, this FAQ is becoming less of an issue. Until you upgrade, though, here are some alternatives that I have found to deal with call waiting and a modem.

Please confirm with any companies before purchasing - this info may change or may possibly not be 100% accurate. Most of this list may only be used in the US and Canada.

Last updated August 2000, so some information may be out of date.

As of Feb 2006, I have removed obsolete information, but I have not included new solutions. I have also removed the descriptions of the products, as they change as the products are improved. I don't expect that I will update this FAQ again. If a URL doesn't work, try the company's homepage.

(Telco = (in this FAQ) Local Telephone Company = LEC)

Call waiting vs. modems

Generally, if you take a (call waiting) call in the middle of an on-line session, when you dial back in later, you'd be able to continue from where you left off. That is, IF you were using something like your web-browser or reading mail or the like from software running on your local computer.

If you were downloading a file using FTP, you'd be able to continue from where you left off only if you have FTP software which supports it and the host side also supports it. Of course, if you were in a telnet session or dialing into a shell account or BBS, you'd have to start over again.

You could continue FTP or other web browser downloads if you use software such as GetRight http://www.headlightsw.com/get.html or Go!Zilla http://www.gozilla.com/.

You may want to take a look at Tucows, in the download manager section:

http://www.tucows.com/

A) Dialing *70 or #70

Dialing *70, or #70, (WITH the comma in your modem settings) before each call, in most US areas, disables call waiting per call on touchtone phones. Use 1170, for pulse dial phones. Consult your phone directory to determine the proper dialing sequence to disable call waiting.

B) Lower the modem's S10 register

Lower the modem's S10 register without disabling call waiting to get SOME modems to HANG UP at least SOME of the time (can't really be relied upon). In Win98 (similar to Win95) START->Settings->Control Panel->Modems->select appropriate modem->Properties->Connection->Advanced->In Extra Settings box enter the S10 value that you want to test out. For example, S10=5 Press OK on the settings windows. I wouldn't suggest relying upon this method.

NOTE: If using a call waiting solution, you may want to RAISE the S10 register, so that your modem wont disconnect by itself if call waiting comes in.

C) Internet Call Waiting

A number of local phone companies have Internet Call Waiting solutions. You may want to call and price their service.

D) Other telephone company services

Other phone services which may be of some help (call your local Telco - these services have different names and prices in different areas)

i) Voice Mail - Acts as an answering machine, even when you are online. You may not know that someone is trying to reach you until you get off line.
ii) Call forwarding on busy/Call Hunting similar services that automatically will ring your second phone line. That is, if you have a second phone line. Call hunting will only allow you to 'link' two phone lines under the same name. Call forwarding will allow you to call any phone number, including a cell phone.
iii) Call Waiting Caller ID - Tells you who is calling when you get call-waiting. May be useful with some of the below options to decide whether to go offline or not.

E) Internet Call Waiting type services

i) Pagoo
http://www.pagoo.com/
ii) Internet Call Manager (ICM)
http://www.internetcallmanager.com/
iii) Buzme
http://www.buzme.com/
iv) Callwave
http://www.callwave.com/

F) Call Waiting Boxes

These boxes allow you to use your modem without disabling call waiting. The box will beep when you receive call waiting. You can then take the call or ignore it. Few models support Caller ID. These boxes differ in how you answer the call after you hear the beep/see the LED. Some will automatically drop the modem connection. Give the companies a call to check about money back guarrantees. Also check about any applicable shipping or tax fees.

i) Computer Peripheral Systems has four different boxes, available at:
http://www.cpscom.com/cwp.htm
ii) Command Communications Comswitch 3.0
http://www.command-comm.com/products.html
iii) Catch-A-Call and Catch-A-Call Max
http://www.catch-a-call-online.com/catchacall-internet-call-waiting-manager.html

G) Call Waiting modems

i) v.92 - ITU protocol with Internet call waiting feature.
Amongst other things, v.92 deals with the Internet call waiting issue. If BOTH the user's modem and the ISP's system are set up for it, a user can take a phone call for up to 16 minutes (adjustable)! I would assume that most ISPs wont allow for a full 16 minutes of hold time, even if they do support V.92. Many v.92 modems will allow you to set (at least using modem register settings) the modem to automatically drop on detection of call waiting, even if your ISP does not support v.92.
ii) There were some V.90 modems, which have long since been discontinued, which supported call waiting. For example, some Zoom modems with Lucent chipsets had Channel 2 call waiting detection. Actiontec also sold a call waiting modem.

Final thoughts

I have tested many, but not all of the hardware products. I have no connection to any of these companies.

In general, make sure that you can return whatever you purchase, in case it doesn't work properly in your situation.

You may find some reactions, or ask for reactions, in Usenet newsgroups such as comp.dcom.modems - which can be found in http://groups.google.com/. Of course these reactions may not accurately represent a consensus or the results which you may have in your situation. All systems may very well improve over time, so an early problem may have been fixed later in the production line.

by Daniel Rosenzweig