Many voice mail and other DTMF controlled systems require longer-duration tone bursts than Skype generates. It is very frustrating to call a service and then be unable to navigate because the tones are too short!

What would be wrong with the tone lasting as long as the key or mouse button is held down?

The programmer's API also needs a way to make the tones last longer: perhaps an optional "duration" parameter?

Please, I have been waiting a long time for this!

The standard DTMF tone length is 300ms, Skype far exceeds that time.

More here:

http://www.dialabc.com/sound/generate/

It sounds like the system(s) you are calling, are NOT playing, by the rules, you can record the digits you need using the tool above and see, if playing the .wav file into the call makes any difference.

This issue, is not on the Skype side.

Well, you may say all day long that "Skype exceeds the standard" but in the real world where I live, the tones are not long enough. One of the systems I try to use that only works sporadically with Skype's tones is a standard telco voice mail system. I have no problems using it with a manual Touch Tone phone.

Anyway, who cares whose fault the problem is? Please explain to me what would be the downside of Skype giving users the option of longer tones? More happy users? Oh no!

In the early days of cell phones, I had one that only output short tones when the keys were pressed. It wouldn't work with my (very expensive) answering machine at home. Finally I read the fine print in the manual and discovered a programmable option to make the tones last as long as the button was held down. Success!

Why not Skype, too?

I gave you a method to see if it will work without using Skype DTMF, my bet is it will fail using the tool as well. Which as I stated, means it is not on the Skype side, because the tool can produce DTMF at 300ms lengths as well.

I am having the same problem with some phone lines, I tried generating the tones with the website you posted and it works with the 300ms one. There must be something wrong with Skype.

I have the same issue on every call that requires post dialing inputs. This is only a problem with Skype and people have been complaining about it in the forums since 2005. Let's avoid the denial: Its here, it's queer, do something about it!

i had the same problem...very frustrating. my workaround is to enter dtmf tones with my cell phone held up to the mic on my headset. inconvenient but it works. goood luck.

I am having the same problem. I am unable to have Skype dial PBX extensions for my business contacts ("if you know your party's extension, please dial it now"). Tried both with keyboard and clicking mouse on dialpad.

Chatted with Laurent in Tech Support last week (who claimed they are not aware of this problem), giving him an actual number I have not been able to dial. He experienced the same problem, and had me call the same number on my landline and mobile to confirm that the extension works - which I did. But then on further tries, he got through, which seemed to indicate to him that there is no problem at all.

He sent instructions for clean uninstall and re-install, which I did with no improvement. No answer yet to my email to support on this issue. As a small business person, I cannot use Skype unless I can dial extensions (best would be the ability to add wait and pause like mobile phones used to do).

Having same issue with conference lines. The only difference is that when I used SKYPE, it sends multiple digits instead of just one (maybe tones are lasting too long). Example: pressing 123456 on the keypad may sends 1233456 or 12344456. As many have mentioned, DTMF is a requirement for business users, no doubt 'bout it! Time for Skype to address this limitation.

Nevermind...figured it out. THe mic was picking up the tones from the PC Speakers. When I use it with the headset, seems to work flawlessly. Doh!