Star and Pound Keys on a Phone Handset

Star (*)and pound keys (# ) on a phone handset are used to activate and deactivate phone calling features. These calling features could be voice mail, call forwarding, call blocking and others.  Star and pounds keys followed by numeric code are use to activate and deactivate these calling features depending on your service provider. Example, to activate voice mail you have to press *98 or #98.

Star and pound keys would work only on tone dials not on pulse dial.  What is tone dial? For easy understanding, when you press a number on the key pad of your phone handset, you will hear a long “toooot” sound.  What is pulse dial? For pulse dial you will hear clicks or sound similar to that of the old rotary dial.  I tried to search online on the difference of these two but the definition on there, confused me.

You may argue you have a push button phone handset not a rotary type of handset. That is good. For some reason it might have gotten switched to rotary dial. No worries you can switch back to tone dial by looking for a tiny slide switch at the bottom or side of your phone. The slide switch indicates a letter T and P.  T for tone and P for pulse, simply slide the switch to letter T for star and pound keys to work.

 Some push button handset phone may not have the slide switch. If you are to use star key, press 11 followed by the numeric code. Using my example *98 for voice mail, you can press 1198. If you are to use pound key, press 12 followed by the numeric code, example 1298 for #98.  If this does not work, you can refer to the user guide or manual of the manufacture of the phone handset.

 If you do not have the user guide you can download online. If you cannot follow the instruction, feel free to call the manufacturer of your phone handset. Do not call your service provider or the store where you bought the phone.  The trouble is out of their scope of support. It will only be the tech from the manufacturer of the phone handset who can help you.  So, make note of it.  If you have phone calling features, make sure star (*) and pound (#) keys work on your handset.

Tablet

This tablet was given to me by phone and internet provider when I upgraded my plan, more than a year now. It is on its stand most of the time. I use it as a speaker phone, instead of picking up my phone handset when calling out or answering calls. I did not pay much attention to it until yesterday.

While my washing machine was working on my laundry I fiddled with it and was able to install some online shopping apps and UBER apps. I took some photos too! Come to think of it. I ignored this gadget for so long!

Optic Television Training

I survived a day shift that was from 8am to 5pm in view of our optic television training. For several years I have been on night shift or early morning shift at work.  Day shift to me is a bit of challenge. My place of work is not far from where I live but the traffic jam and the wait to get a ride is not easy. 

I take public transportation going to work, a jeep and a sixteen seater van.  I cannot afford a car which is good. I do not have to worry paying for a parking space where I live.  I do not have to worry about the car maintenance. Most of all I can take a nap on my way home on days when traffic jam is pretty bad.

Middle of June my team mates and I were on internet training. The optic tv training followed shortly. Optic tv training lasted for about a week the 6^th of July until the 10^th. It was classroom training, call listening, and we got to see some equipment like the set up box, gateway WIFI extenders, etc.  The most exciting part was passing the exam after the training. 

My Big Event for 2012

Folks I am excited to share with you,  I am the Agent of the Year for 2012 as tech support for Satellite TV and Phone Repair combined. I am elated! I thought my colleagues were just kidding when they congratulated me before the awarding ceremony. My team captain on purpose did not tell me at once as a surprise. It was a surprise indeed! I hugged my lady team captain.

I got the same award last Feb 2011. Another fellow got the award for Satellite TV.  I was awarded Agent of the Year for Phone Repair – 2011.  I thought it was just by chance I made it for 2011 award. Last third quarter of 2012, I was awarded - Top Agent of the Quarter. Last Feb 28, I was awarded Agent of the Year -2012! Now, you know what made me slackened from blog posting. I concentrated on my work to get a good score month by month. 

Looks like impossible is nothing if you believe in yourself and work hard!

Taking a Peek at WWW

The young lady in the picture is my bookworm niece. I never thought she inherited the talent of my father. 

Her tiny fingers did wonders on my computer table and the metal table we bought together at a shopping mall.