URGH, apparently, according to
[url]http://www.vistax64.com/vista-mail/61717-contacts-dialer.html[/url]

we must store our numbers in Canonical (International) format. Instead of "1
555 555-5555", store the number as "+1 (555) 555-5555". The first number
will confuse dialing rules and result in the number "1 5 555-5555" being
dialed, a number which obviously won't work. Try it yourself, change the
number format to "+1 (555) 555-5555" and see what happens.

[url]http://support.microsoft.com/kb/247192/en-us[/url]
You Must Enter Telephone Numbers in Canonical Form in Order to Use Dialing
Rules
[url]http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318575/en-us[/url]
Dialing rules may not be applied to tools such as Fax and Phone Dialer on
Windows XP-based and Windows Vista-based computers


Kind of a hassle?

"pbpapa" wrote:
[color=blue]
> I have used this program to dial my land line phone, using a Lotus Smart
> Center phonebook and later the dialer.exe phonebook, since windows 95. So
> far, in Vista, I can only dial numbers within my area code. There is a place
> to set up "dialing rules", but no matter how I do that, only the first digit
> of the area code is dialed. There is a "help' button, but no help file
> actually exists. Dose anyone know how to make this work"
> --
> pbpapa[/color]