Cell Phones

[KOODO etc]. Blocking (or redirecting to diff dialer) US LD outgoing calls ($0.5/min) automatically! :)

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  • Nov 3rd, 2019 4:46 pm
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[KOODO etc]. Blocking (or redirecting to diff dialer) US LD outgoing calls ($0.5/min) automatically! :)

N.B. Pls refer to the latest post for most recent update...

Dear RFD experts!
Here is the problem:
Koodo (as well as other major carriers I'm sure), charge 0.5$/min LD and per-minute billing for outgoing voice to the US (and even more for Overseas). And there is no way to disable outgoing calls to the US (potential danger of uncontrollable "butt-dialing" extra charges on your bill :) )!

It is just a highway robbery in the age of Hangouts and other VoIP apps!

It would be nice of course to have a non-expiring lot of a 1000 LD minutes or so, Public Mobile style, even if not free, but with a reasonable rate.

However, I was thinking that there might be a way to somehow automatically enforce policy of all non-canadian LD to go via Hangouts or VoIP using Hangouts or similar alternative apps/dialers?.

I recall that Google Voice app years back has some options for handling separately international vs domestic calls with different dialers (not sure it was able to differentiate Canada vs US?). Since then, I hear that Google Voice app improved (there was even a link to the new GV app posted on these forums).

Are there any users of GV app 'round here? Is there anyone who knows how to accomplish the subj?

Thank you very much in advance for chiming in!
Last edited by Tichi on Nov 3rd, 2019 4:37 pm, edited 6 times in total.
32 replies
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Tichi wrote: Dear RFD experts!
Here is the problem:
Koodo (as well as other major carriers I'm sure), charge 0.5$/min LD and per-minute billing for outgoing voice to the US (and even more for Overseas). And there is no way to disable outgoing calls to the US.

It is just a highway robbery in the age of Hangouts and other VoIP apps!

It would be nice of course to have a non-expiring lot of a 1000 LD minutes or so, Public Mobile style, even if not free, but with a reasonable rate.

However, I was thinking that there might be a way to somehow automatically enforce policy of all non-canadian LD to go via Hangouts or VoIP using Hangouts or similar alternative apps/dialers?.

I recall that Google Voice app years back has some options for handling separately international vs domestic calls with different dialers (not sure it was able to differentiate Canada vs US?). Since then, I hear that Google Voice app improved (there was even a link to the new GV app posted on these forums).

Are there any users of GV app 'round here? Is there anyone who knows how to accomplish the subj?

Thank you very much in advance for chiming in!
I did something similar with csipsimple. Won't work with hangouts but will work with your phone's normal dialer and any voip account you setup within csipsimple.

it has these filters that would let you do something like that. if it's a usa area code then use the voip service. if not, use the stock dialer. Unfortuantly it won't let you use any random other app like the hangouts dialer.
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Tichi wrote: However, I was thinking that there might be a way to somehow automatically enforce policy of all non-canadian LD to go via Hangouts or VoIP using Hangouts or similar alternative apps/dialers?.

I recall that Google Voice app years back has some options for handling separately international vs domestic calls with different dialers (not sure it was able to differentiate Canada vs US?). Since then, I hear that Google Voice app improved (there was even a link to the new GV app posted on these forums).

Are there any users of GV app 'round here? Is there anyone who knows how to accomplish the subj?

Thank you very much in advance for chiming in!
I'm not sure if one can use hangouts on its own to make long distance calls. Others here may know better.

I use Google Voice. Hangouts is the dialer if I'm not connected to my US service provider. Even over an average speed (~8mbs) wifi connection, GV is crystal clear and the same quality as a cell phone call.

GV is free calling to US and Canadian numbers. International long distance is $.01 per minute and up. You can see the rates here,

https://www.google.com/voice/rates
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Kevinck wrote: I did something similar with csipsimple. Won't work with hangouts but will work with your phone's normal dialer and any voip account you setup within csipsimple.

it has these filters that would let you do something like that. if it's a usa area code then use the voip service. if not, use the stock dialer. Unfortuantly it won't let you use any random other app like the hangouts dialer.
batcave wrote: I'm not sure if one can use hangouts on its own to make long distance calls. Others here may know better.

I use Google Voice. Hangouts is the dialer if I'm not connected to my US service provider. Even over an average speed (~8mbs) wifi connection, GV is crystal clear and the same quality as a cell phone call.

GV is free calling to US and Canadian numbers. International long distance is $.01 per minute and up. You can see the rates here,

https://www.google.com/voice/rates

Thank you for your input, Folks!
Csipsimple sounds interesting, if one can provide a filter for all Canadian area codes.
Is there a list of those available somewhere?

Basically any VoIP client with "dialer integration" (or such similar option), would throw a prompt before dialing.
For example, Zoiper (with dialer integration option on) asks me to chose between GSM call and an-account I've setup.

Csipsimple, even without any filters or accounts set-up,
throws native android prompt allowing to choose a dialer among phone/fongo/hangouts/skype.
So, basically to begin with, it resests thedefault dialer app. Provided that one can choose always/this-time-only, it is not very robust,
but from my previous experimetation with Csipsimple, I recall that there might be some more prompts to follow, if a SIP account is setup

And if one can set-up a filter with/out all Canadian area codes, Csipsimple may as well provide a fully automated solution.
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Hey, Folks, want to share something useful for Koodo (and not only ) in the context of subj...

Csipsimple cannot filter out Canada vs US, but I found and app that can (with some little scripting).
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Screenshot.png
So, the app is called Automate. It is similar to Tasker, but free.

One can write visual scripts for it, in the folrm of little flow charts, that can control, in particular, outgoing calls.

I composed a basic script, that allows outgoing calls only to predefined set of (Canadian ) are codes.
All other outgoing calls from default dialer are dropped.
I plugged only 4 area codes at the moment. In total there are about 30 Canadian area codes, if I'm not mistaken,
so it is straightforward to plug them in too.
Besides, instead of dropping the calls to US LD, one can perhaps redirect them to Hangoints etc.. Haven't tried it yet.

Well, for those curious I attach the flow chart for the said app (native file format), as well as a screenshot of the flowchart.
Would appreciate comments if it works for u, if you want to try it...
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Hmmm... I do not even know how to attach non-image file to my message... Any ideas?
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Tichi wrote: Hey, Folks, want to share something useful for Koodo (and not only ) in the context of subj...

Csipsimple cannot filter out Canada vs US, but I found and app that can (with some little scripting).
That to me sounds like over engineered. My dialer record has all the Can # I frequently made . And my hangout dialer has all US # I dialed earlier. Nothing confusing between the two at all.
Daniel

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danieltoronto wrote: That to me sounds like over engineered. My dialer record has all the Can # I frequently made . And my hangout dialer has all US # I dialed earlier. Nothing confusing between the two at all.
Not at all! I brushed up my script a lil bit, so it is working perfectly for me now, dropping all the calls to the banned area codes (i.e. except the Canadian ones and the toll-free ones). And it makes virtually no footprint (neither on memory nor on cpu).

I'd atach it here to share, if I knew how to upload a non-image file :( .. It seems RFD does not allow it..
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Gee wrote: Use SendSpace to upload your script and post the link

https://m.sendspace.com
Thank you for the tip! Here you go!

https://www.sendspace.com/file/mo1wwv

I've diligently plugged in all the 50 Canada-related area codes (including the local one, as well as the toll-free ones).
Make sure you disable logging for this script in Automate app, because it slows it down a bit...

Enjoy! Also attaching a little updated pic with the script core...
Images
  • Outgoing call control.jpg
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Tichi wrote: Thank you for the tip! Here you go!

https://www.sendspace.com/file/mo1wwv

I've diligently plugged in all the 50 Canada-related area codes (including the local one, as well as the toll-free ones).
Make sure you disable logging for this script in Automate app, because it slows it down a bit...

Enjoy! Also attaching a little updated pic with the script core...
When I downloaded and imported to Automate, says there's a newer version. Is it in the community section?
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@Tichi , does this prefixer app do the same as what you are trying to do? It seems like there are rules for outgoing calls based on prefix match. May be worth looking into. Because all my Canadian numbers are registered with google voice, I route all calls through google voice and use the voice choice app to filter calls that bypass google voice which is basically all calls within the province for me. Perhaps you can still do what I do but without a properly set up google voice, the US call would simply fail.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... ixer&hl=en
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titaniumtux wrote: When I downloaded and imported to Automate, says there's a newer version. Is it in the community section?
Hmmm.. No, I have not uploaded it to the Automate community yet (though I probably should).
And I uploaded it to sendspace only once... weird.
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will888 wrote: @Tichi , does this prefixer app do the same as what you are trying to do? It seems like there are rules for outgoing calls based on prefix match. May be worth looking into. Because all my Canadian numbers are registered with google voice, I route all calls through google voice and use the voice choice app to filter calls that bypass google voice which is basically all calls within the province for me. Perhaps you can still do what I do but without a properly set up google voice, the US call would simply fail.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... ixer&hl=en
Thank you! Prefixer seems a good app, does exactly that. However, as there is no short pattern or regular expression , describing all Canada area codes, I would need to create 50+ different rules for Prefixer, which would be a very laborious task. For the moment, my little Automate script does that very efficiently, by simply dropping all the calls to non-Canada are codes. Which accompishes my minimum requirement, i.e. preventing accidental "butt-dialing" of the numbers that would cost extra on Koodo. If I need to dial such number intentionally, I can always launch Hangouts or Zoiper manually. Besides, Automate allows one to launch an app. So, I think, ultimately, I will also furfher enhance my script via launching diferent dialers depending on the phone number dialed...

How exactly the Google voice functions, was always a bit of a mystery to me. Are calls going through voip, hangouts, or dialing some obscure local numbers? Regardless, does not your canadian cell phone number need to be listed as forwarding number in your gvoice profile? Which ia no longer possible as far as I understand.. Is that what you mean when you say that your number are registered with GV? How did you accomplish that? Do you just maintains them registered all the way from the past?
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Tichi wrote: Thank you! Prefixer seems a good app, does exactly that. However, as there is no short pattern or regular expression , describing all Canada area codes, I would need to create 50+ different rules for Prefixer, which would be a very laborious task. For the moment, my little Automate script does that very efficiently, by simply dropping all the calls to non-Canada are codes. Which accompishes my minimum requirement, i.e. preventing accidental "butt-dialing" of the numbers that would cost extra on Koodo. If I need to dial such number intentionally, I can always launch Hangouts or Zoiper manually. Besides, Automate allows one to launch an app. So, I think, ultimately, I will also furfher enhance my script via launching diferent dialers depending on the phone number dialed...

How exactly the Google voice functions, was always a bit of a mystery to me. Are calls going through voip, hangouts, or dialing some obscure local numbers? Regardless, does not your canadian cell phone number need to be listed as forwarding number in your gvoice profile? Which ia no longer possible as far as I understand.. Is that what you mean when you say that your number are registered with GV? How did you accomplish that? Do you just maintains them registered all the way from the past?
I will wait for you to perfect your scripts and download it for future considerations. As for pocket dialing, is it possible to call any number other than 911 which I have done one on occasion so far.

With respect to google voice, I do have my Canadian numbers added as a forwarding number. So, when I make a call and enable google voice, the google voice app will work with the dialer to modify my call. Instead of my dialer calling the number that I want to call, google voice will send the number via data to a conference call system that google runs. It is that system which will call the party I am trying to reach using my American google voice number. My dialer will call a local number owned by google which for the GTA is 647-317-6994. These two calls are then linked via conference call. To the call recipient, they think someone from Aspen CO is calling them. To my carrier, I am calling 647-317-6994. The result is a normal voice call with all the QoS associated with a voice call.

The google voice app is only designed to toggle on and off. I found an app called voice choice which integrates with google voice to allow google voice to be toggled on and off by area code prefix. I have added all the local area codes to voice choice. Any calls to these local area codes triggers voice choice to toggle google voice off so that that the aforementioned dial around is disabled and my dialer calls the actual number that I am trying to dial. In the even the area code is not added to voice choice, the app will allow google voice to do its thing and I get the dial around.

This system is not 100% perfect. It would not protect me from making a long distance call if I had a province wide calling plan only. Suppose I travel to BC and make a phone call, google voice will still use 647-317-6994 for the dial around because that is the local area code based on my phone number. I cannot program it and identify a local area code different than the area code in my phone number. It does work perfectly for plans with Canada wide calling.

I suggested you try using my set up even though you don't have your Canadian number registered in google voice. It will protect you simply because google will try to do the dial around and then fail because you don't have the required numbers registered. In the voice choice app, all you would need to do is list all the area codes that will bypass using google voice so calls go out as dialed. It is getting it done ugly but will work without writing any scripts which in the end really achieves the same outcome which is a failed long distance call.
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will888 wrote: I will wait for you to perfect your scripts and download it for future considerations. As for pocket dialing, is it possible to call any number other than 911 which I have done one on occasion so far.

With respect to google voice, I do have my Canadian numbers added as a forwarding number. So, when I make a call and enable google voice, the google voice app will work with the dialer to modify my call. Instead of my dialer calling the number that I want to call, google voice will send the number via data to a conference call system that google runs. It is that system which will call the party I am trying to reach using my American google voice number. My dialer will call a local number owned by google which for the GTA is 647-317-6994. These two calls are then linked via conference call. To the call recipient, they think someone from Aspen CO is calling them. To my carrier, I am calling 647-317-6994. The result is a normal voice call with all the QoS associated with a voice call.

The google voice app is only designed to toggle on and off. I found an app called voice choice which integrates with google voice to allow google voice to be toggled on and off by area code prefix. I have added all the local area codes to voice choice. Any calls to these local area codes triggers voice choice to toggle google voice off so that that the aforementioned dial around is disabled and my dialer calls the actual number that I am trying to dial. In the even the area code is not added to voice choice, the app will allow google voice to do its thing and I get the dial around.

This system is not 100% perfect. It would not protect me from making a long distance call if I had a province wide calling plan only. Suppose I travel to BC and make a phone call, google voice will still use 647-317-6994 for the dial around because that is the local area code based on my phone number. I cannot program it and identify a local area code different than the area code in my phone number. It does work perfectly for plans with Canada wide calling.

I suggested you try using my set up even though you don't have your Canadian number registered in google voice. It will protect you simply because google will try to do the dial around and then fail because you don't have the required numbers registered. In the voice choice app, all you would need to do is list all the area codes that will bypass using google voice so calls go out as dialed. It is getting it done ugly but will work without writing any scripts which in the end really achieves the same outcome which is a failed long distance call.
Thank you! I will try Voice Choice, it seems pretty easy to input those "bypass" i.e. in this case, Canadian, area codes in there. At the moment, my main concern has been to fool Koodo's devious tactics wrt costly US LD (they allow one to remove PPU International LD from the plan, but not the US LD),
by banning anything that cost extra on top of the bare monthly plan price (thus making it as safe, as prepaid PM :) ).

I'm still figuring out all that Android lingo with packages/actions/activities/data URI etc, which would allow one to start an app (e.g Zoiper or Hangouts) from Automate,
and to pass an argument (phone number) to it. However, since this part of the script might be very personalized (e.g. with specific phone numbers), I will probably only provide a generic recipe/picture, when I figure it out, since no universal/generic script will be possible in this case. Perhaps the simplest extension of my script would be to launch some sort of app chooser (instead of End Call), with phone number passed to it.. That probably would be the most generic script, worth sharing...

N.B. To me, Google Voice even asked to re-verify the linked US cell number (not sure it such requests occur periodically or due to an inactivity).
So you are lucky to have your CDN number added to GV.
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Tichi wrote: Thank you! I will try Voice Choice, it seems pretty easy to input those "bypass" i.e. in this case, Canadian, area codes in there. At the moment, my main concern has been to fool Koodo's devious tactics wrt costly US LD (they allow one to remove PPU International LD from the plan, but not the US LD),
by banning anything that cost extra on top of the bare monthly plan price (thus making it as safe, as prepaid PM :) ).

I'm still figuring out all that Android lingo with packages/actions/activities/data URI etc, which would allow one to start an app (e.g Zoiper or Hangouts) from Automate,
and to pass an argument (phone number) to it. However, since this part of the script might be very personalized (e.g. with specific phone numbers), I will probably only provide a generic recipe/picture, when I figure it out, since no universal/generic script will be possible in this case. Perhaps the simplest extension of my script would be to launch some sort of app chooser (instead of End Call), with phone number passed to it.. That probably would be the most generic script, worth sharing...

N.B. To me, Google Voice even asked to re-verify the linked US cell number (not sure it such requests occur periodically or due to an inactivity).
So you are lucky to have your CDN number added to GV.
The reverification is for inactivity. I have a calendar event to make a call using google voice every 2 months. I have never been asked to reverify which of course I won't be able to do.
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For those interested here is little update to my script. It starts Hangouts for non-Canadian area codes and passes dialed phone number to it.
Whereas Canada area codes are dialed directly...

https://www.sendspace.com/file/3pgrav
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Tichi wrote: For those interested here is little update to my script. It starts Hangouts for non-Canadian area codes and passes dialed phone number to it.
Whereas Canada area codes are dialed directly...

https://www.sendspace.com/file/3pgrav
Automate is strange. Doesn't seem to let me import. Should I drop the file in a certain folder?
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