BlackBerry Forums Support Community

Ggalat · 11-02-2007, 08:44 PM

I am a newbie.....please forgive (I did try search, but no real answer).

I just moved to BB from a Treo. On my Treo, I could set +1 as a dialing prefix that was added whenever any number was dialed (for international use)

I can't figure out how to make this work on my 8830. I am leaving Monday for the UK and want to use +1.

I have set smart dialing to +1, but it is not added (at least not visually) to any number in my address book when I dial. Since I have 1670 contacts, many with multiple phone numbers, I do not want to even think about editing every contact. What am i doing wrong?

Thanks

John Clark · 11-02-2007, 08:49 PM

It won't add it to each of your numbers. You have to have the +1 in your address book for each contact. If you have area codes it may still dial correctly, though.

Ggalat · 11-02-2007, 08:56 PM

Thanks for responding. However, that is ridiculous.

On the Treo, all I did was click one check box and it simply added the +1 before dialing any 10-digit number in my address book.

I seriously have to manually change 3,000 phone numbers?

John Clark · 11-02-2007, 09:28 PM

I didn't say it wouldn't dial correctly while overseas. It may (I'm not sure because I've always put them in my address book with the +1.) However, it won't physically add the +1 to all your numbers in the address book.

Ggalat · 11-02-2007, 09:30 PM

Wow. The UI of BB's really is bad. On the Treo, click one box. It does not "change" the numbers in the address book, it simply appends the +1 before EVERY dialed number. Or click it off, and it goes back to just dialing 10-digit.

John Clark · 11-02-2007, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ggalat

Wow. The UI of BB's really is bad....

Not sure I'd go that far.....Someone else will come through who has dialed from overseas without the +1 in their address book and clarify. Like I said, I've put the +1 in mine since the beginning so I can't tell you from personal experience.

pengrus · 11-02-2007, 09:40 PM

I have no problem of dialing USA contacts when I travel overseas. Even if these numbers do not have a +1 in front, somewhere in phone option, you can set +1.. check it out...

Ggalat · 11-02-2007, 09:41 PM

Ever used a Treo? totally intuitive and functional. uh, BB, not so much. Almost every single function is less intuitive and inefficient, this being an example.

Ggalat · 11-02-2007, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pengrus

I have no problem of dialing USA contacts when I travel overseas. Even if these numbers do not have a +1 in front, somewhere in phone option, you can set +1.. check it out...

Where? There is a option called "Smart Dialing". It allows you to set a +1 number. The device, documentation, this site and Blackberry.net in no place describe what or how that is used or what it does.

When I click it or change it to any other number, the dialing behavior of the device does not change.

Is there someplace else? I do not want to get to Europe and have to manually dial every number, on a supposed "Global" smartphone.

John Clark · 11-02-2007, 09:51 PM

Slow down people....I believe Pengrus is correct. The +1 in smart dialing will add it for you even though it doesn't show it on the screen when you dial. I just needed someone else to come through and clarify for me.

I still have an old Palm that I use for my Pilot Logbook. Battery went dead and lost all my data (hadn't sync'd in a couple months.)

This is a Blackberry Forum. Don't come in to say how much better the treo is when you want help with your BB.

Ggalat · 11-02-2007, 09:55 PM

John,

Sorry for the frustration. Not trying to "compare" or flame the BB.

I made the switch (I was forced to by my company), so now that I have to use the BB, unfortunately I do need help.

It is just not well-documented and is very confusing to a new user.

Geoff

John Clark · 11-02-2007, 09:59 PM

Did you download a User's Manual from the Blackberry.com site or off the CD that came with the BB (if your company gave one to you?)

Ggalat · 11-02-2007, 10:02 PM

Both. the "short" VZW one and then downloaded a 200+ page one from RIM. Never touches the topic anywhere.......

John Clark · 11-02-2007, 10:05 PM

Not surprised. That's why this forum does so well. I think you'll be fine dialing the US with the smart dialing set to +1 as long as you have area codes in your address book.

Ggalat · 11-02-2007, 10:09 PM

I'll update from over there....either happily dialing away, or crying for help !!

Thanks all.

pengrus · 11-02-2007, 11:17 PM

Here is my set up in my BB:

USA numbers:
650-921-9999

UK numbers:
+44-xxxxxxxxx

China Numbers:
+86-10-xxxxxxx

Once you set this up, all numbers dialing work in ANY COUNTRY without doing any adjustment, calling back and forth... Give it a try.

Klotar · 11-03-2007, 03:07 PM

I am set up the same way as pengrus. While I do have some +011's in front of a couple (where I found I had to), for the most part I leave smart dialing on +1, have area code plus numbers for all my NA numbers, and full numbers for international.

Works with SMS's that way too.

NJBlackBerry · 11-03-2007, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ggalat

John,

Sorry for the frustration. Not trying to "compare" or flame the BB.

I made the switch (I was forced to by my company), so now that I have to use the BB, unfortunately I do need help.

It is just not well-documented and is very confusing to a new user.

Geoff

Actually you did both. And the change was so simple. And it has been posted on this forum many, many times...

Ggalat · 11-03-2007, 06:41 PM

No offense, but please show me a link to one single post that references this. I searched for a multitude of things:

International Dialing
International dial prefix
+1 dialing, etc,etc and never found anything.

Also, my comparison in this case was simply a "man, I've used a Treo forever and this particular thing (among many, many others) is very simple compared to the confusing nature of the BB"....if I did not find it confusing I would have simply made the change.

Also, i still am not sure this 'switch" is either going to work or that "simple" (your words). My entire address book (~3,000 phone numbers) is set up as:

1-xxx-xxx-xxxxx

What will happen with the Smart Dialing +1 when it dials an 11-digit number?

The examples referenced above are all xxx-xxx-xxxx.................

NJBlackBerry · 11-03-2007, 06:48 PM

There are a lot of threads on it. Good luck with your new BB and give it a chance. Not many people want to go back to a Palm after using the BB.

http://www.blackberryforums.com/gene...s-problem.html

http://www.blackberryforums.com/gene...-problems.html

http://www.blackberryforums.com/gene...k-network.html

Seriously - it does work. I have hundreds (not thousands) of contact. Some with the +; many with out. Some with country codes; many without. It works.