Handshake failure with Portugal Telecom SMS center

[RACameron]

Dear Tech Support,

As you can see from the log below, I'm getting a handshake failure and need your help to find correct parameters. I listed two trials with a slight variation on the telephone number: one with an asterisk at the end (as shown on my Siemens C100 on-screen menu) and the other without, as listed in my printed Siemens manual. Apparently it makes no difference, as both trials failed. Your help will be greatly appreciated.

8/16/04 1:49:43 PM ====================================
8/16/04 1:49:43 PM Start connection to carrier
8/16/04 1:49:43 PM Connect using TAP protocol
8/16/04 1:49:43 PM Setting communication parameters
8/16/04 1:49:43 PM Sent:AT<CR><LF>
8/16/04 1:49:44 PM Attempting to reset modem
8/16/04 1:49:46 PM Sent:AT<CR>
8/16/04 1:49:47 PM Received:<CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
8/16/04 1:49:47 PM modem reset
8/16/04 1:49:47 PM Attempting to send init string
8/16/04 1:49:47 PM Sent:AT&F0Q0V1X4&D2&B1&K0&M0&N1<CR>
8/16/04 1:49:48 PM Received:<CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
8/16/04 1:49:48 PM Init string sent
8/16/04 1:49:48 PM Dialing carrier
8/16/04 1:49:49 PM Sent:ATDT129990<CR>
8/16/04 1:49:56 PM Waiting for connection
8/16/04 1:50:01 PM Received:<CR><LF>BUSY<CR><LF>
8/16/04 1:50:01 PM Unable to connect to carrier
8/16/04 1:50:01 PM Attempting to hang up modem
8/16/04 1:50:03 PM Sent:AT<CR>
8/16/04 1:50:04 PM Received:<CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
8/16/04 1:50:04 PM modem hung up
8/16/04 1:50:04 PM Carrier retry limit reached. Marking pending messages as bad
8/16/04 1:50:04 PM FAILED To:My home phone Frm:R Cameron Msg:Hello world!
8/16/04 1:50:52 PM ====================================
8/16/04 1:50:52 PM Start connection to carrier
8/16/04 1:50:52 PM Connect using TAP protocol
8/16/04 1:50:53 PM Setting communication parameters
8/16/04 1:50:53 PM Sent:AT<CR><LF>
8/16/04 1:50:54 PM Attempting to reset modem
8/16/04 1:50:56 PM Sent:AT<CR>
8/16/04 1:50:57 PM Received:<CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
8/16/04 1:50:57 PM modem reset
8/16/04 1:50:57 PM Attempting to send init string
8/16/04 1:50:57 PM Sent:AT&F0Q0V1X4&D2&B1&K0&M0&N1<CR>
8/16/04 1:50:58 PM Received:<CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
8/16/04 1:50:58 PM Init string sent
8/16/04 1:50:58 PM Dialing carrier
8/16/04 1:50:59 PM Sent:ATDT129990*<CR>
8/16/04 1:51:06 PM Waiting for connection
8/16/04 1:51:12 PM Received:<CR><LF>BUSY<CR><LF>
8/16/04 1:51:12 PM Unable to connect to carrier
8/16/04 1:51:12 PM Attempting to hang up modem
8/16/04 1:51:14 PM Sent:AT<CR>
8/16/04 1:51:15 PM Received:<CR><LF>OK<CR><LF>
8/16/04 1:51:15 PM modem hung up
8/16/04 1:51:15 PM Carrier retry limit reached. Marking pending messages as bad
8/16/04 1:51:15 PM FAILED To:My home phone Frm:R Cameron Msg:Hello world!

Here is the carrier setup information as currently entered:
Protocol: TAP
Phone number: 129990 (with and without terminal '*')
Baud rate: 300
Parity: Even
Data Bits: 7
Stop Bits: 1
Init. String: AT&F0Q0V1X4&D2&B1&K0&M0&N1
Max Chars: 240
Pluse Dial: Unchecked

Please let me know if additional information will be helpful to you.

[Tech Support]

It looks like every time it tries to dial, the modem is getting a busy signal. Is it possible that the phone line the modem is using needs to dial differently? Try attaching a regular phone to that phone line and dial the number like you have it setup in PageGate.

[RACameron]

You are correct. After dialing the number there is a slight pause followed by a busy signal. However, the Siemens C100 is able to use the number without problems ... I just sent an SMS to myself. Any ideas?

[Tech Support]

Because you have the carrier set to use the TAP protocol, NotePager Pro is trying to use your phone like a regular dialup modem. For this to work you will need to setup the carrier's phone number to be their TAP termina.

To use the phone to send SMS from phone to phone (not acting like a modem), choose the GSMAT protocol on the carrier setup screen.

[RACameron]

I will try this and let you know what happens. However, in the event it makes a difference, I should have mentioned in my original post that I am using NotePager 32.

[Tech Support]

NotePager 32 does not have support for the GSM-AT protocol. Try downloading the evaluation version of NotePager Pro, and giving it a try.

[RACameron]

I may have caused confusion by mentioning that I tested the SMS center with the Siemens cordless (not mobile or cellular!) phone. This was just to make sure that at this moment the center was not 'permanently busy' or otherwise out of order.

When I attempted to set the suggested protocol, the message of course said I couldn't, but the explanation seemed to indicate it should be used with a wireless modem or a mobile phone, and I am using neither of these.

[RACameron]

If it makes it any clearer, I am accessing the SMS center through my laptop and 56K modem. Do you still want me to try the other version, or does what I've posted indicate we should perservere with NotePager 32?

[Tech Support]

Thanks for the clarification. When you mentioned the Siemens C100, I did a quick search on the web and mistook it for a mobile phone. Sorry.

You should stick with the TAP protocol.

In order for NotePager 32 to dial the carrier correctly, you will need to figure out how to dial correctly from the phone line that is plugged into the computer's modem. When a regular phone is plugged into that phone line, and the number is dialed, you should hear a high-pitched modem tone (kind of sound like a fax machine).

[RACameron]

You're welcome. I suspected a misunderstanding when I saw the description of the other protocol.

The response of the SMS center remains the same as before: "After dialing there is a brief pause (perhaps one second) followed by the busy signal." No modem tones.

Now, the question is how to figure out what the SMS center server is expecting before it completes the connection. What do you make of the asterisk following the center's number on the phone's display?

Would it be possible/of any benefit to put Window's Hyper-Terminal on-line while the phone is dialing? If not, has anyone ever heard of this problem on other systems, and what solution do you recommend? Until I get the modem tones, if I read you correctly, NotePager won't function.

[Tech Support]

Your last statement is correct. Your modem won't connect to their modem unless their modem answers with a carrier signal (the high-piched tone). Do you get this tone with any phone?

[RACameron]

No, neither with the plain standard phone-company phone, nor with the new cordless. There doesn't seem to be any problem receiving audio with either, and the modem tones are of course well within the audio range (so far as I know).

[Tech Support]

I think you need to check the phone number you have for your carrier's TAP terminal (remember, this isn't the same number as who you are sending the message to).

[RACameron]

The number is listed in the manual and was confirmed with technical support from the phone company.

I have discovered that if I append either the digit '0' or '1' to the end of the number, instead of silence followed by a busy signal, I get two high-pitched 'chirps' first. Is this consistent with the server attempting a handshake?

You may recall that there is a cryptic '*' at the end of the SMS center's number when displayed on the handpiece's screen. I decided to experiment by replacing it with various other keys.

I realize you are trying to cover all possibilities, but I double-checked and the phone number I am trying to send to in this test is in the Recipients menu and the SMS center's number is in the Carriers menu. Also, the format of the SMS center number is totally different from that of a normal telephone number.

[RACameron]

I am attempting to monitor SMS activity with HyperTerminal connected to the same line as the C100, and I have the laptop's modem set up so I can monitor the audio for what is happening. I definitely hear the two chirps (must be coming from the SMS center) at the outset of the handshake.

However, for reasons I do not know, the handshake does not go to completion when HyperTerminal is on-line in parallel with the C100. As a result under these conditions no SMS message is sent and when the handshake fails, the busy signal comes on within a second.

I also am not seeing the expected activity on the terminal screen as I had hoped. All I have been getting is a RING when the SMS comes back to the C100.

I am not an expert on setting up this type of connection and would appreciate any help you and you colleagues may offer. Would you agree that the above indicates an active phone connection, rather than a wrong number?