Dial Patterns and the DP Editor

Dial Patterns is a term WebTV uses to identify a data set of up to eight data records per WebTV terminal that contain the record of the past dialing successes.  Each record contains a unique ANI and POP number along with the number of digits that were dialed.

When a new tellyscript is requested, the proper POP's are selected first.  If a prior success has been recorded for the ANI/POP combination, the dialing definition from the dialing pattern record is used.  If there has not been a success, the tellyscript uses defaults provided by the Phone database. 

When this doesn't work for whatever reason, the user has a calling plan or a change by the Telco, or some recent twist in the NANP, we need to adjust the Dial Pattern the box dials.  This is done with the dial pattern editor.

The Dial Pattern Editor (or DP Editor as it is known) is a web based tool that allows WebTV customer service agents to adjust the pattern of digits a specific terminal must dial to order to get a successful connection.

This tool is used for:

1. Change area codes in the existing dialing patterns.

2. Force a predetermined sequence for a WebTV unit from an ANI to a specific POP

3. Remove obsolete dialing pattern records

4. Force a new dialing sequence to insure compliance with specific unusual billing plans.

5. To correct less than optimal dialing patterns recorded during prior connections to WebTV

Procedure:

1. Confirm the ANI.  It may in fact be different than the ANI displayed in the dialing pattern edit tool, which will be, in fact, the last ANI that was used to access the service.

2. Confirm the WebTV Terminal Silicon Serial Number (SSID).  If the SSID is not known, use the 411 code to have terminal display the SSID upon Power-up.

3. Confirm which POP is of concern and the number of digits required to successfully connect to the POP.

4. Access the Web based Dial Pattern editor and enter the SSID in the field.   Next press the fetch the defaults (previously stored dialing pattern records).   Make the appropriate changes and additions and then submit the edited records for verification and submission.

5. Have the customer unplug the unit for approximately one minute and replug it in and turn it on.  Have them select the moved prompt which will send the terminal back to our toll-free scriptless number to get a new tellyscript which reflects your adjustments.

6. Follow up with the customer as appropriate to confirm success.

Remember: The ANI and POP loaded by the tellyscript program must match the entries exactlyfor the desired dialing sequence to be used.  The other entries will be ignored.

The DP Edit tool is a fairly simple tool to use but you must be precise in the information you enter or you will give the customer a big headache, so be careful.   Here is a visual blow by blow of how to use the tool.

Step 1.  Select the link (on your connections page) to get to the DP editor.   When you arrive it looks like this:

Dial Pattern Editor

Step 2:  After entering a SSID you press the Fetch defaults... button which bring you here:

Step 3:  Carefully check that the ANI is correct.  This is especially important when the user has recently had a change in their area code.  If you enter any information incorrectly, ythe change will not have its intended effect.  Next use the drop down menu to select the dialing pattern:

If you make a mistake, the system will warn you with a Red Warning Message:

Step 4:  If you do make a mistake, press the

button to go back and make corrections.   If all is correct, it will look like this:

Items printed in blue will be changed when you accept these changes.

Step 5:  At this point, select

to write your changes to the users file.  The last screen when the change is complete is below. At this point, the users must get a new tellyscript to get the changes you have made, so they must unplug/replug and choose moved.

That's all. Easy, no?

Thanks To Speed_Exp for recreating this page!