Automatic Feature Downloads of ADSI Scripts | Analog Display Services Interface

Automatic Feature Downloads (also "on-hook programming") allow ADSI scripts on Type III CPE to be automatically updated while they are idle, allowing for completely non-interactive script updates. Here demoed with a Nortel Vista 350 and 390.

[@Stache987]

I worked for a RBOC in the 90s, our public service commission and other regulatory bodies would have had a $..hitfit if the phone company reprogrammed your instrument willy-nilly especially in the middle of the night. No way would I want my phone being audible without cause while I'm sleeping.. I can't believe Bell Canada used this for advertising..
Before Nortel went out of business, I had bought some equipment in person while vacationing in Canada. One of the places I stayed was just a rooming house above a bar, modems were the data connection of the era, while traveling but the room didn't provide a phone line, however a phone jack was in the room, had we known more ahead of time, we could afford and would have made arrangements to have it activated upon arrival..

[@InterLinked1]

Well I have no firsthand experience with it, but folks on various forums online indeed have confirmed that Bell Canada did this in the 2000s and early 2010s.
Audibly it should not disturb the user in any way, since the entire process is completely silent. There's only noise here because I have the test set in monitor mode.

[@Stache987]

@@InterLinked1 I thought it had to off hook on hook at the end

[@InterLinked1]

The CPE takes the line off-hook for the actual programming, but the speaker on the phone is not activated. This wouldn't be audible unless somebody picked up another extension on the same line.
If the user tries to use the phone while this is ongoing, the CPE aborts the download so the user can make a call. The protocol is intentionally designed so that users typically don't notice this going on.

[@nirv]

Yeah I had this phone in the 90s and in fact I still might have it in a box somewhere - the USWEST version - and I don't recall seeing any ads or anything on the screen.
I remember thinking how cool it was to be able to download updates right to my phone - at least that's what I recall doing or wanting to do.

[@haroldjayhoover5370]

I've noticed that my 390 telephone, after a power outage, manages to update (eventually) to the correct time. Do you have any idea how that might be happening? Thank you.

[@InterLinked1]

Caller ID contains date/time as the first parameter, so as soon as you receive a call, the time will update.
This is true for both on-hook and off-hook (Type II, i.e. Call Waiting) Caller ID.
This is true for all CPE. It's never necessary to manually set the date/time on an analog phone, they'll pick it up from Caller ID.

[@haroldjayhoover5370]

@@InterLinked1 Thank you for providing an answer to that mystery. :)