What is the maximum length of phone / ext number you can store / use in contacts?

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Level 1

8 points

What is the maximum length of phone / ext number you can store / use in contacts?

Hi, have a 4S with IOS 7.1.1 and wanted to be able to save a number to contacts with a long extention / suffix to control diverts (UK BT Landline), but whilst I can enter and save the number it only dials part of it. The format is as follows (no spaces used when I stored it in the phone):

(phone number 11 digits) ; * (2 digits) * (4 digits) * (11 digits) * (11digits) #

I make that a total of 45 digits - I'm guessing it only dials part as it exceeds some limit.

iPhone 4S, iOS 7.1.1

Posted on May 22, 2014 8:32 AM

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Answer 1

John Galt

Level 10

156,116 points

May 22, 2014 9:13 AM in response to Barnabybear1

Just curious, is there a need to tap the screen? You can insert pauses by inserting commas in the phone number when storing it in Contacts. As long as the BT service uses consistent times for the dial tone to appear, you should be able to make it work. Each comma equals about a half second pause, perhaps one second, something like that.

Tapping the screen may interrupt whatever it's doing; I haven't tried it.

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Answer 2

John Galt

Level 10

156,116 points

May 22, 2014 8:54 AM in response to Barnabybear1

International standards recommend a limit of 15 or 16 digits, but it's probably up to individual carriers to decide what constitutes a valid phone number. The iPhone itself imposes no particular limit, nor does its Contacts app. You'd have to ask BT if they impose a limit.

Does the phone number appear correctly in Contacts?

I'm not certain what you mean by "diverts" but I have used phone numbers with suffixes that total as much as 37 digits.

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Answer 3

Barnabybear1 Author

Level 1

8 points

May 22, 2014 9:10 AM in response to John Galt

Hi John, thanks for the reply. The phone number is to the BT system via land line that sets phone diverts based on the rest of the infomation / digits. This works if I use the keypad to type the digits (but as you can guess a little boaring to do every time) but from a saved contact it only seems to dial the phone number, pause untill I hear the dial tone and tap the screen, then only dials the first 17 digits of the remainder.

Perhaps it only dials 17 digits if that how long numbers generaly are.

Yes the number is stored correctly in contacts.

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Answer 4

Barnabybear1 Author

Level 1

8 points

May 22, 2014 9:43 AM in response to John Galt

Hi, tried with commas, and still can only count 17 tones for the suffix.

Call forwarding might be a better term than divert - Anyway it sets the phone number that will recieve the calls to my business landline. You can call a preset number from landline or mobile, enter the type of forward, your pin number, your landline number & the number you would like the calls forwarded too. Including check & cancel the forward, there will be eight different numbers that will regualy need to be dialed. Having them in contacts would not only save time (it will save me looking them up), but prevent me making mistakes and ending up with a total stranger recieving calls.

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Answer 5

Barnabybear1 Author

Level 1

8 points

May 22, 2014 10:09 AM in response to Barnabybear1

Hi, found a way to make this work.

For some reason putting commas in the suffix, means that the phone will dial the whole of the suffix. I'm guessing they reset some counter. So long as a block of digits is not more that 17 long it works, for me anyway.

This format would not dial full number.

(phone number 11 digits) ; * (2 digits) * (4 digits) * (11 digits) * (11digits) #

This format dialed full number.

(phone number 11 digits) ; * (2 digits) * (4 digits) , * (11 digits) , * (11digits) #

Still not sure why. Thanks for all the help & let me know if you had the same problem.

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Answer 6

John Galt

Level 10

156,116 points

May 22, 2014 10:13 AM in response to Barnabybear1

So long as a block of digits is not more that 17 long it works,

I surmise that's the limiting factor. Thanks.

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