Can a dial a phone number from my XP Laptop

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sundar
  • Start date Start date
S

Sundar

Hi,

Is there a way I could dial and even pick my phone calls from my laptop
rather than to get up and pick up my phone? I am not talking about VOIP
(including skype) just a simple standard phone call, rather than a telephone
equipment.

Any help is appreciated!
 
"Sundar" wrote in
<news:9E9D91A2-D12B-4B2E-BF3F-7CFC2FEEFA79@microsoft.com>:

> Hi,
>
> Is there a way I could dial and even pick my phone calls from my laptop
> rather than to get up and pick up my phone? I am not talking about VOIP
> (including skype) just a simple standard phone call, rather than a telephone
> equipment.
>
> Any help is appreciated!

There are call center or message center programs, often used to receive
voicemail and faxes. You can pickup the call before a ring count
maximum else, the voicemail kicks in (if it wasn't identified as a fax
call). I remember having a program called Communicate!
(http://www.01com.com/about_us_products.asp) many years ago (I don't
know if I kept it since I stopped using it probably over a decade ago).
SmithMicro used to have HotFax MessageCenter
(http://www.smithmicro.com/default.tpl?group=product_full&sku=HMCWA0EE),
and a light version often came bundled with some modems. Used to be
that some software came bundled with the dial-up analog data/fax modem
(a full retail version, not OEM version) however, some bundled software
is just fax software and nowadays pricing is so cut-throat that the
profit margin is way to tight to include any software.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1563/is_n11_v15/ai_19928710/pg_4
(although I have Winfax Pro 10 and don't consider it a message center)

http://www.google.com/search?q=+Windows++"call+center"
http://www.google.com/search?q=+answer++phone+call++Windows
(add "+free" if you only want free solutions)
 
sandy58 <aleckie68@googlemail.com> wrote:

>On Jun 8, 7:52 am, Sundar <Sun...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> Is there a way I could dial and even pick my phone calls from my laptop
>> rather than to get up and pick up my phone? I am not talking about VOIP
>> (including skype) just a simple standard phone call, rather than a telephone
>> equipment.
>>
>> Any help is appreciated!
>
>insin
>http://www.shopzilla.co.uk/8N_-_cat_id--13119__nwylf--__oid--632320021

Try again.

ONE: The person you replied to lives in Kansas, USA, so it's unlikely
he/she will be ordering from the UK.

TWO: the item you referenced is for the POCKET PC.

Wanna go three for three??
 
I had such a program on an old Compaq running Windows 95.

It was part of an integrated communicaitons package that worked via a modem
(low-speed 28K old-fashioned telephone modem). Note that a phone-modem and
associated phone line (wire) is going to be required for any sort of
phone-via-PC, unless you subscribe to a digital phone system (VOIP). With
the latter all you need is an internet connection, and that could be via
wireless.

I also had something similar with a Gateway running Windows 98.

Both were OEM programs, that is, they came with the PC.

Neither worked well, often froze, failed to take all messages, etc. Neither
was supported adequately by the PC manufacturer.

But, upon a warm boot they worked for a while, at least good enough that I
could place a call by typing a number on the keyboard (or mousing a picture
of a phone on the screen) and using the PCs microphone, and I could pick up
an incoming call in a similar fashion.

However, both pieces of software where very unreliable.

Thus, I finally attached the phone line to a real telephone (cheap one from
WalMart or similar discount store), and that worked infinitely better than
either software package.

"Sundar" <Sundar@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9E9D91A2-D12B-4B2E-BF3F-7CFC2FEEFA79@microsoft.com...
> Hi,
>
> Is there a way I could dial and even pick my phone calls from my laptop
> rather than to get up and pick up my phone? I am not talking about VOIP
> (including skype) just a simple standard phone call, rather than a
> telephone
> equipment.
>
> Any help is appreciated!
>
>
>
 
<smipped>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Is there a way I could dial and even pick my phone calls from my laptop
>> rather than to get up and pick up my phone? I am not talking about VOIP
>> (including skype) just a simple standard phone call, rather than a
>> telephone
>> equipment.
>>
>> Any help is appreciated!
>>

> Bob Harris Wrote:
> I had such a program on an old Compaq running Windows 95.

> It was part of an integrated communicaitons package that worked via a
modem
> (low-speed 28K old-fashioned telephone modem). Note that a
phone-modem and
> associated phone line (wire) is going to be required for any sort of
> phone-via-PC, unless you subscribe to a digital phone system (VOIP).
With
> the latter all you need is an internet connection, and that could be
via wireless.


How does a program like this work with the voice? I take it the OP
wants to talk via the PC. I understand the ring and pickup phone part
fine, but not the voice. I always thought you needed a special
dialogic voice board for the D to A exchange of voice? Or at least it
does on my phone system at the office we built. 16 ports on 4 boards
if I recall. I never thought a standard 56K modem etc would do analog
voice D/A?
 
On Sat, 7 Jun 2008 23:52:01 -0700, Sundar
<Sundar@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Is there a way I could dial and even pick my phone calls from my laptop
> rather than to get up and pick up my phone? I am not talking about VOIP
> (including skype) just a simple standard phone call, rather than a telephone
> equipment.



Sure, if you have two things:

1. a dial-up modem (many computers with DSL or cable connections no
longer have these).

2. appropriate software to do this. Windows XP doesn't come with this
capability, but there are other programs you can install that can do
it.


--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
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