I have a Starplus DHS 7000 unit in my house with about 12 extensions throughout the house. We recently had a power outage for about 3 hours, and our UPS did not provide power to the phone system. When power came back on, most of the programming (done 12 years ago by now not-available phone installer) was lost. I imagine the internal battery on the system needs to be replaced. But that's not the problem today.

We brought the phone system back up and were able to reprogram most of the setting back to where they were before. However, we have one nagging problem that we can't figure out.

We can't dial *69 or anything with a # or a * as the starting character. The phone default apparently won't let us use those buttons as the beginning on a CO line. Before the power outage, we could use this just fine. But no more.

The user guide says that the phone default won't let us do this, but I'm pretty sure the phone was reprogrammed or modified somehow to allow the # and * symbols, or at least the * symbol, for the *69 etc. features.

I went to the programming manual, and it's a bit too complicated for me to figure out, so ....

HELP!!!!

How can we reprogram or set the phone to allow us to use the * features?

Wayne Stoler
[email protected]

The 3.6 volt battery that keeps the programmed database in your DHS is dead. You need a qualified technician to solder in a new one.

You are correct, * and # as first digit is a programmable item. But it's going to be a problem again next time the KSU is powered off unless you get the battery replaced.

In the spiral book Rev 2 (1997) Feature Package 2 the information that you want is on pages 104--183 and 201.

You have to put the * and the # into the "Allowed" table in COS.

However, as dwflood points out, the next time you have a power outage, you will lose that programming---and take it from one who has had experience---the next thing that goes out will be the power supply. Then you're really going to be stuck!! You'd better have another good DHS KSU on hand or start preparing to replace that 12 plus year old system. It was solid, but after that amount of time, those particular components are going to give out. Be prepared. Good luck!

Solid answer Racedog. And when it comes to getting a backup KSU, many here besides myself have several just waiting to be adopted.

Mndave, jwracedog, and dwflood,

Thank you for the quick answers. My office phone system is a Merlin 4-line with 10 extensions and is so much easier to work with (just replace stuff, with little or no programming) than my home phone system (the Starplus DHS). Then again, the home phone looks nicer and is only 12 years old. My Merlin system is 26 years old now. A few years ago the controller box went bad. The controllers were so inexpensive, I ended up buying 3 of them so I can swap out the next one when it goes bad (hopefully not for another 20 years). But I essentially bought 3 (what I'll call) PBX controllers for about $100. I have this sneaking suspicion that the Starplus is going to cost a bit more than that.

Thank you again. I'm going to search for the Feature 2 Manual and locate the tables for reprogramming.

If you folks know any good phone people in the Baltimore metro area who can solder in a battery, please tell me. I do not trust myself to do any soldering around circuit boards.

Wayne Stoler

Wayne, I'm sending you a private message regarding the battery replacement.