Footnote: V.90 vs. V.92 Modems

Online Call Alert – Information for ISPs

We are now offering an ISP license for the Online Call Alert based on our very successful 'PhoneTray Dialup' software.

Online Call Alert Summary

Online Call Alert software can be used by ISPs supporting any of the two following scenarios:

V.92 protocol with support of Modem-on-Hold
V.92 / V.90 protocol without support of Modem-on-Hold

With V.90 or V.92 support, Online Call Alert can:
- Notify the user of incoming calls and allow to take the calls when online. Incoming calls are detected using the user's modem. ('Busy call forward' service is not required.)
- Support Caller ID when online and offline and show and speak (optional) the caller's name and number.
- Log incoming caller ID, date, time, etc.
- Block unwanted calls and 'zap' telemarketers.
With V.92 and MOH support in addition to the features listed above the user can:
- Put the internet on hold to answer incoming calls without disconnecting from the internet.
- Put the internet on hold and make an outgoing call without disconnecting from the internet.
and many more other features

For more information about Online Call Alert software please click here.

IMPORTANT: To use full set of features of Online Call Alert the user must have a V.92 modem or V.90 modem updated to V.92 'standard', V.92 connection to ISP as well as Call Waiting and Caller ID on Call Waiting services from the phone company.

How Online Call Alert works

When a call comes in while the user is online Online Call Alert shows a popup window with the caller ID displayed and 3 buttons for the user to choose from and click. These are:

Disconnect from the internet and answer the call
Put internet on hold and answer the call
Ignore the call

If ISP supports V.92 protocol and Modem-on-Hold the user can choose any of the choices above. When the user clicks “Put internet on hold and answer the call" Online Call Alert puts modem on hold and connects the incoming call. The user can pick up the phone and talk to the caller. Online Call Alert displays the timer showing how much time the user has to talk to the caller before internet is disconnected.

If ISP does not support Modem-On-Hold (MOH) or internet connection is not V.92 then "Put internet on hold and answer the call" is disabled and can not be clicked. The user can still answer the call. When the user clicks "Disconnect from the internet and answer the call" Online Call Alert disconnects from the internet and connects the incoming call. The user's phone starts ringing and he/she can pick it up and talk to the caller.

Benefits for End-Users

Users can see who is calling when on-line and choose to accept a call or ignore it.
Users can talk to the callers without disconnecting from the Internet. (Requires V.92 modem-on-hold support from ISP).
Users know who is calling before answering a call when offline.
Users can keep complete history of incoming calls.
Users can block telemarketers and other unwanted callers.

Benefits for Providers

Attract new customers
Gain competitive advantage and win customers by offering Online Call Alert with your dial-up service. Let potential customers see you as a provider of full-featured dial-up internet and make your service stand out from a growing number of low-cost ISPs.
Retain existing customers
Offer Online Call Alert software to your customers to eliminate “missed phone call” problems, one of the main reasons why users switch to broadband internet service.
Increase per-customer revenues
Create premium service that includes V.92 modem-on-hold support and Online Call Alert software. Combine with web accelerator to offer your customers a real broadband-like experience.

ISPs that offer the ability to receive notice of incoming calls while online and at no additional cost definitely have an increased appeal to the marketplace. This will significantly increase the number of users and their satisfaction with your service. Your company will also enjoy the benefits of greater word of mouth free advertising. Everybody wins!

Please contact us today to inquire about our ISP licensing program and find out how Online Call Alert can help to increase your bottom line.

ISP licensing fees

Recently Traysoft has revised its Online Call Alert license pricing policy. We now charge for only the actual users of Online Call Alert service. Traysoft has adopted this new fee structure to make Online Call Alert more easily affordable and to minimize any financial risk to the ISP.

An optional one-time fee applies for full branding in your name, including logo, making Online Call Alert look like your own software.

Qualifying ISPs can apply for unlimited license option.

Please contact us for more information about licensing fees.

Online Call Alert Support

Online Call Alert is virtually trouble free. The only issue that can come up is if and when the user is using a dial-up modem that will not perform the task. Traysoft does not provide direct end-user support for Online Call Alert. End-users should contact ISP technical support department with questions about Online Call Alert. We provide 'User Manual' and 'Frequently Asked Questions' (FAQ) documents. Most questions that users ask are covered in provided documents. If your technical support is unable to quickly resolve the problem then your tech support can contact us for immediate support. This will be a very rare case as Online Call Alert has been thoroughly tested with many modems. Additional information including the list of supported modem chipsets and tested modems is available upon request.

This website was developed specifically for end users of ISP-licensed software and for ISPs who license Online Call Alert. The website has the latest version of the User Manual, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). Currently we are in the process of development of Support Wizard for both ISP technical support and end users of Online Call Alert. The Support Wizard will provide an easy way to resolve common problems. It will also have a list of tested and approved modems, links to the latest modem drivers and other information. The intent is to have the latest data immediately available to all ISPs and end users. This will also greatly reduce the number of questions about Online Call Alert that ISP tech support receives as most questions will be answered on the website.

Please click here to read the 'White Paper' for additional information about PhoneTray Dialup technology used by Online Call Alert and comparison of Online Call Alert to legacy Internet Call Waiting systems.

Please contact us today to inquire about our ISP licensing program and find out how Online Call Alert can help to increase your bottom line.

Footnote: Client (User) V.90 vs. V.92 Modems

‘V.92' is a dial-up modem ‘standard’ that adds several features to the older 'V.90' ‘standard’. These features include, among others, Modem-on-Hold and the ability to detect call waiting tones. V.92 'modems' are modems that support all features defined in V.92 'standard'. To detect incoming calls when online, Online Call Alert relies on the modem's ability to detect call waiting tones. V.92 modem 'chipsets' were developed from the beginning to support all features defined in V.92 'standard'. As far as we know, all modem chipset manufacturers stopped producing non-V.92 chipsets and switched to V.92 chipsets in 2001. Because of that, almost all modems manufactured after 2001 are V.92 modems. After the V.92 'standard' was approved in 2000 the new features defined in the V.92 'standard' were added to new (updated) modem drivers and firmware for older V.90 modems thus making them V.92 modems. Almost all PCI and USB V.90 modems can be upgraded to support V.92 'standard' simply by installing an updated modem driver.

The misconception about a great number of non-V.92 modems comes from ambiguous names that many modems have. Modem documentation (or computer documentation if OEM modem is bundled with the computer) commonly refers to all modems as "56k modem" (based on the modem rated speed) without mentioning if V.92 'standard' is supported. After the modem is installed in the computer Windows displays its name and that name may or may not contain "V.92". For example, some modems are displayed in Windows as "V.92 fax modem" or "Intel 537EP V.92 modem" making it clear that the modem supports V.92 'standard'. More often though, the modem name (like "LT Win modem" or "56K fax modem") does not give any indication if V.92 is supported. This is often the case for OEM modems commonly found in Dell, Gateway, HP and other brand-name computers. It doesn't mean that V.92 is not supported. In fact, all those modems support V.92 'standard' even if "V.92" is not mentioned simply because all modem chipsets manufactured during the last 5 years support V.92. Sometimes the modem name indicates that the modem is V.90 when an old modem driver is installed (for example Conexant "SoftV90 modem") but after installation of a newer driver the modem name changes to indicate V.92 support (Conexant "SoftV90 modem" becomes "SoftV92 modem").

The ISP does not have to upgrade its servers to support V.92 protocol in order to benefit from Online Call Alert. All Online Call Alert features work without V.92 protocol except for the ability to place the internet on hold, and even if the ISP doesn't support V.92 protocol, the user, once notified that a call wants to come through, can disconnect from the internet and take the call.

Traysoft has been testing various modems for several years and updating the software to resolve MOH compatibility problems with each as these problems are found. Most modems are now compatible, however there remain a few that still require attention. When such cases do arise Traysoft is quick to respond, if only to advise what driver update is required or, in the rare case advise that a replacement modem is required. In the later case Traysoft will recommend a choice of modems which have passed our test phase.

Most new updates of Online Call Alert contain updates for modems as issues are discovered and resolved. Traysoft is planning on providing links to modem manufacturer's websites to source updated drivers plus instructions on how to install the drivers. All software updates are immediately provided to all licensed ISP's technical support department.