# Still Can't Get Megaphone to Work **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 20, 1999, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-cant-get-megaphone-to-work/4100 "1999-10-20T04:44:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 1999, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-cant-get-megaphone-to-work/4100/1 "1999-10-20T04:44:00Z")
OK, so I signed up for Caller ID, on the advice of Nickrz and many others, but I am still not being notified when I have an incoming call when I’m on the internet. People calling ME, however, now hear a ring instead of a busy signal, but I get nothing. I confirmed this by sending the wife to a pay phone to call our house when I was on the 'net. I never heard/saw a thing, but she said she was getting rings (as opposed to a busy signal) from her end. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?? ---
**Author:** ![Cessandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cessandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cessandra)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 1999, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-cant-get-megaphone-to-work/4100/2 "1999-10-20T05:11:00Z")
First of all, nobody told you to get caller ID. Call forwarding, call waiting, yes. But nobody mentioned Caller ID. If that’s what you got, it isn’t going to do you any good. I suggest you take ThufferinThuccotash’s advice and go to [http://www.callwave.com./](http://www.callwave.com./) for the Callwave Internet Answering Machine. It’s free, all you need is call forwarding to go with it. * * * Cessandra [My Homepage](http://www.shsu.edu/~stdmed17/Home.html) [The RHPS: Website For Virgins](http://www.shsu.edu/~stdmed17/RockyHome.html) **Both Updated More Often Than This Sig** ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 1999, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-cant-get-megaphone-to-work/4100/3 "1999-10-20T16:14:00Z")
I meant to say “Call Waiting.” I don’t know why I said “Caller ID.” Brain fart. My phone company doesn’t even have Caller ID. I don’t want to get callwave. Can’t I just solve this problem with Call Waiting and my existing software??? ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 1999, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-cant-get-megaphone-to-work/4100/4 "1999-10-20T19:44:00Z")
## Cess- thanks for that info…I think I’m going to try out that Callwave and see how it works. 🙂 🙂 Hope school is going good! A friend is someone who likes you even though you’re as ugly as a hat full of assholes. [Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 1999, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-cant-get-megaphone-to-work/4100/5 "1999-10-20T21:57:00Z")
rastahomie, I had the same problem. I tried to use call waiting as a device to get me knocked off of the net when I dialed in, but it did not work. Apparently the beep used in my area (and probably yours) isn’t enough to knock the connection you have off-line. I wondered if they changed the beep, so they could get more people to use their voice mail service, or to make people happier that they didn’t get knocked off of being on-line when they got a call. pat ---
**Author:** ![Nickrz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bbce88/32.png) [@Nickrz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nickrz)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 1999, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-cant-get-megaphone-to-work/4100/6 "1999-10-20T22:07:00Z")
Man, I’m sorry if that didn’t work for you… you sure you don’t have call waiting disabled? It used to knock me offline every time someone called. (Sigh). Maybe the phone companies got hip and “fixed” that undocumented enhancement. They do want you to spring for a DSL, after all. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 1999, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-cant-get-megaphone-to-work/4100/7 "1999-10-20T22:15:00Z")
## I just downloaded [http://www.callwave.com](http://www.callwave.com) and then called my phone company to turn on “Busy Signal Forwarding”. It takes a day to get turned on, but I’ll let you guys know if it worked. It looks like a great little program (it was free). This seems like an easy solution. Why not try it? If it doesn’t work, have them turn it off. Beats paying for another phone line or call waiting that you don’t want or need. A friend is someone who likes you even though you’re as ugly as a hat full of assholes. [Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 1999, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/still-cant-get-megaphone-to-work/4100/8 "1999-10-20T23:22:00Z")
Thanks to everyone who’s tried to help. I can’t get Callwave because the one-horse local phone company I have doesn’t have call forwarding. I think I’m lucky I got call waiting. All I can say is, I’ll have to get on the phone with the phone company and see if they can help me get this straightened out.