How can I fix Skype's number pad tone sounds?

Question

I occasionally use Skype(forlinux) to call regular phone numbers, some of which have automated voice menus, in which you need to dial numbers as menu selections. This relies on tone dialog - each phone handset dial pad key triggers a certain, different, tone which the system on the other side recognizes.

Now, with Skype (at least, the most recent version of skypeforlinux), and with some (not all) audio-controlled menu systems on the other side - my dialed numbers are not accepted. And, indeed, the tones sound weird and flat somehow.

I was thinking perhaps it's possible to change the tones emitted for every number... but I can't find any such option in the preferences/settings dialogs.

Can I do that somehow?

Answer 1

I ran into this issue (again) today (2019-11-24) and found a way to resolve it, at least in my case, running on Windows 10, though this issue exists on multiple platforms (including I believe Linux) so that shouldn't be relevant. I thought I'd post the answer here in case anyone else with this problem stumbles over this question.

In short, there is a known issue with recent editions of Skype where if the "Call Subtitles" feature is enabled, then the DTMF tone functionality in Skype simply does not work, for whatever reason.

There was actually a big furore over this on Microsoft's forums (see for example here), and eventually this behaviour was was (and remains as of this writing) documented in Skype's support documentation as a "known issue", see here:

When making a call and using the Dial Pad to select the option for Touch Tones, they will not work if you have subtitles enabled on the call. To workaround this issue simply disable subtitles: Select your profile picture > Settings > Calling > Call Subtitles, then turn off the option to Show subtitles for all voice and video calls.

Hope this helps someone.