Can you remove the parentheses around area codes?

Question

Level 1

8 points

Can you remove the parentheses around area codes?

My new car won't dial numbers that have the parentheses around the area codes. I paired my iphone without issue and it dials all the other numbers just fine. I called Audi and they said the new software on the MMI system won't dial a number with parentheses and said I'd have to remove them!!! What a task. Does anyone know how to remove the parentheses on the iphone?

iphone, Other OS

Posted on Apr 26, 2009 8:00 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Apr 27, 2009 5:43 AM in response to lauralw1

There's no perfect solution here - the ( ) are specified by Settings > General > International Region Format, and the US format has the parentheses. You could pick another country, which would eliminate the parentheses (e.g. the UK), but that would also affect the way dates are displayed, change the Maps app to use the metric system, etc.

You can submit feedback to Apple: http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html.

Reply

Answer 2

ctter

Level 2

190 points

Apr 27, 2009 7:44 AM in response to lauralw1

There is a "Mickey Mouse" way of doing this. Add an extra digit at the end of the phone number. If there are more digits, the iphone will not recognize it and remove the parentheses. The phone will dial the 11 numbers but it will connect to the 10 digits number.

Reply

Answer 3

lauralw1 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 27, 2009 7:28 PM in response to neuroanatomist

I changed the region format to Australia which did remove the parens in the phone, but the car still seems to have them for some numbers. As far as I can tell this leaves two options; either the car is adding them or the underlying database that the iPhone contacts list is based upon contains the parens and transmits them to the car over bluetooth.

Any further help would be greatly appreciated!

Reply

Answer 4

lauralw1 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 27, 2009 8:25 PM in response to ctter

Yes, I have heard about doing it that way - adding a number - but when you've got a lot of numbers it would take me all day!! I may just have to resort to this but I'm hoping some genius will come up with something.

Reply