echo connect

[MartinB999]

Well it's here at long last. Generally it works well and the set up is easy.
One issue I've found is that if I ask it to call someone by name, for example, "Call Brenda on home phone", it calls her on her Alexa and not the landline. I've tried with other people in my contacts list and have found that if they have an Alexa, it calls the Alexa by default whatever you say. The only way to call people who have Alexas on their landline is to actually tell Alexa the number and ask her to dial it.
I spoke to Amazon about this, they are looking at it already but to date there is no fix.
One thing I'm going to have to keep in mind is that all calls through the Echo Connect go onto my BT bill and not free (as they are in the US and Canada). It's a shame that this is the case as it's not an equitable service with other countries. The Google mini/home set up can call landlines and mobiles for free and I would have though Amazon would have offered at the least the same service.
Hopefully it will change in the future...........

[Jon1606]

OK, so I got one on Saturday. As MartinB999 says, its pretty easy to setup and seems to work fine. Sound quality is good.
I love the fact that Alexa announces who is calling, based on the number and contact set up I assume, if the number is withheld obviously she has no idea, or if the number is not a contact she just tells you the number.  I like. I also like the fact that you can just call a number..'Alexa call 0121 123 4578'...nice...What I don't like is that she disconnects from Bluetooth to make or receive a call (security issue?)..Still have to play round, can you put a number in for automated switchboards ? but generally happy

[Jon1606]

oooh automated switchboards....'Alexa press 1' - seems to work

[twoshed]

When I try to call a phone number Alexa tells me she can't phone a phone number.

[MartinB999]

When I try to call a phone number Alexa tells me she can't phone a phone number.

Hi Twoshed
Have you activated voice calling in the Alexa app?

[Smokie]

When I try to call a phone number Alexa tells me she can't phone a phone number.

Hi Twoshed
Have you activated voice calling in the Alexa app?

Where is voice calling? Can alexa now call any number you want or is it just other echos?

[MartinB999]

Hi Smokie
Take a look here and you should be OK following these instructions to connect.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=help_search_1-2?ie=UTF8&nodeId=202209760&qid=1539419077&sr=1-2

[twoshed]

When I make a phone call I get a continues tone on the line. Like dung dung dung. I can hear it but the person on the other end can not. Any ideas?

[MartinB999]

When I make a phone call I get a continues tone on the line. Like dung dung dung. I can hear it but the person on the other end can not. Any ideas?

Not heard of that one twoshed. Have you tried taking the phone jack out, rebooting the connect and seeing if it happens still? This might be one for the help team at Amazon if it doesn't go away.

[twoshed]

As connect always put 44 before the phone number, i.e. 442082041868 do BT charge more than just 02082041868?

[MartinB999]

As connect always put 44 before the phone number, i.e. 442082041868 do BT charge more than just 02082041868?

No twoshed, BT charge the standard rate for landline numbers despite the code being slightly different to that you would use using a conventional landline. I rang them to ask about this.

[twoshed]

As connect always put 44 before the phone number, i.e. 442082041868 do BT charge more than just 02082041868?

No twoshed, BT charge the standard rate for landline numbers despite the code being slightly different to that you would use using a conventional landline. I rang them to ask about this.

Thanks for that. You see where I was coming from then.

[MartinB999]

Hey all

Well, we've had this echo connect in the house for a couple of weeks now........... and I have to say it gets VERY little use. Primarily the reasons for this are:
a. unless you are standing right over the echo, the person on the other end of the line tells me that it sounds as though I'm standing in a box or a hall, my voice is distant
b. Whenever the phone rings it announces who is calling - but, even when you answer it on the conventional telephone handset it still keeps telling you who is calling for maybe 5-10 seconds, which I find annoying
c. I've had to make sure that we all remember that calls are charged at BT's normal rates - so daytime calls are out! Until this changes (so it's on a par with Google free calling service - which I might add is excellent according to my friend) I'm not sure a lot of people will get use out of the Connect.
Reflecting on the purchase, it's easier for me to make calls from my home office whilst carrying on doing other jobs, but that aside, I'm not sure that it is of benefit to us..........
Would I buy it again? I think the answer has to be a NO at the moment. Sorry Alexa