CapTel 800i—Changing Your Phone’s Default Volume Setting

by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.

For those of you that use the wonderful CapTel 800i captioned phone, this phone comes with the default volume set in the middle. This means that you can set the volume to whatever level you like, but when you hang up the phone it automatically resets the volume to this preset level. If you are like me and need more volume, it can be aggravating each time the phone rings to have to press the volume button several times to crank up the volume, and in the process miss the first words your caller says.

Unfortunately, there is no control on the phone that allows you to change this default volume setting. However, all is not lost. Just phone your CapTel customer service representative and they can do this for you. (Press the blue button near the top right side of your phone to automatically dial the customer service number.)

Set your phone to the volume you like, and the customer service representative will change the default setting. Now, whenever you hang up your phone it will stay at whatever volume you were last using. The result is that now you will be able to change the default volume setting at will. I love it.

Another thing of which you should be aware. From time to time the CapTel people change/improve/fix the software that runs the CapTel system. Therefore, it is a good idea to update the software in your phone periodically. Probably once every 6 months or so is a good time interval.

Updating your phone’s software is easy. Leave your phone on the hook. Just press the “Yes” key, then select “Phone Settings” (since it is at the bottom of the screen, the easy way to get there is to press the “Up Arrow” key once [or you could press the “Down Arrow” key 6 times instead if your fingers want more exercise]. Then select “Update Phone”. (Again the easy way is to press the “Up Arrow” key once to select it.) Then press the “Yes” key twice and your phone will either tell you its software is up to date, or it will automatically download new software into your phone.

The end result is that your phone will work better or have some new functionality. Cool!