20. Answers About Dial-up Numbers

Many times, the number your WebTV unit dials in order to connect to the internet is the source of the slow surfing speeds and disconnects you may routinely encounter.

It is a good idea to be aware of what numbers your unit dials, and to know which ones are local calls and which ones are toll calls. The answers are in the Help Center, which can be accessed from your Home page, but finding them can be a difficult process. Here's a quick guide to help you find those answers, and aid you if you are having difficulty logging on and surfing.

To find out more about dialing in, what numbers are used, and which ones are local, try this link:

http://vega.webtv.net/cgi-bin/new/phonebook_white.cgi

On the screen, enter your area code followed by a dash and then the first three numbers of your phone number, as in 555-123. There is no need to type the last four numbers of your phone number. Then press your Return key.

Another source for the same information can be found at the following site, where you enter your entire phone number in the following format:

555-000-0000

Please see:

http://ca.geocities.com/offworld_jack/WebTV_Local_Access.html

These will tell you all of the phone numbers which your web unit can dial, and which ones are local. Make a note of them on paper, then see which ones your unit dials. See which one gives you the fastest internet navigation.

If you experiment quite a bit, and you are convinced that one particular dial-up number is the very best, all of the time, you may want to get WebTV to make that one your first dial-up number. The phone number is: