'Idol' voters get phone tips

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Jasmine Trias got the busy signal as she voted for fellow "American Idol" competitor Camile Velasco in last week's audition. Velasco made the final 12 on the Fox show. Verizon is telling callers to be patient. Trias is with her dad and younger sister. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser 'American Idol' 7 to 8 tonight, 7:30 to 8 p.m. tomorrow, Fox (KHON-2) Note: Jonah Moananu competes tonight. Jasmine Trias competes March 2. Watch for Moananu, the part-time drama teacher from Kalihi, on "Entertainment Tonight" at 6:30 tonight on KHNL-8 (NBC).

Be patient. And diligent, because chances are you may not get through the first time your fingers do the walking, or the 50th.

That lesson became evident when Maui's Camile Velasco drew more than 1.5 million in-state votes last week despite complaints from viewers that they kept receiving busy signals and never registered a vote.

"Imagine a freeway that can handle huge normal traffic during the rush hour," Verizon Hawai'i spokeswoman Ann Nishida said. "The phone system is like that. If every person who had a car decided to drive on the freeway at the same time, there would be gridlock. That's what happened last week to the phones."

Velasco's performance caused an 11.5 percent rise in volume over the usual two-hour period (8 to 10 p.m.). With Moananu competing tonight, and Maryknoll senior Jasmine Trias competing March 2, Nishida said Verizon is trying to increase service ability, but there are limits.

"Verizon provides service in 29 other states, stretching from the West Coast to the East Coast, and I checked with my colleagues — and only in Hawai'i was there this kind of response," Nishida said.

Voting will be from 7:55 to 10 p.m. today, after the telecast. Here's what Nishida suggests callers do:

• Dial the phone number, as instructed. But you need a dial tone first from land lines.
• If you get connected to the proper number and can't get through, because of either an "all circuits busy" recording or a busy signal, hang up and wait for a dial tone if you're on a land line. The call won't go through without a dial tone first.
• For cell-phone users, there won't be a dial tone, so redialing is the only way to connect to a vacant line.

Nishida said that those who complained about not being able to cast a phone vote probably didn't wait for a dial tone before redialing.

AT&T wireless subscribers may use text-messaging with their phones, by following the prompts and punching in the Moananu's four-digit code.

Text-messaging calls can be repeatedly placed, and many votes are time-stamped then forwarded to the tallying system.

AT&T Wireless text messaging costs vary, depending on the user's plan. The standard rate is 10 cents per text message. Velasco's dad, James West, said he text-messaged 300 times for his daughter.

AT&T Wireless now has a promotional offer of unlimited text messages for the first month — great for "Idol" voting.

Hot 93.9 is hosting a free "Idol" viewing party for Moananu from 7 to 8 p.m. today at Dave & Buster's at the Ward Entertainment Complex. Velasco, the Maui contestant who won a slot on last Wednesday's show, is flying in from Maui for the viewing party.

AT&T Wireless, an "Idol" sponsor, will provide phones for party-goers to text-message their votes.

There is no admission for the viewing party.

Similar viewing opportunities will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. today and again from 6 to 7 p.m. today at the Eastside Grill, which picks up satellite feeds from the Midwest and the West Coast.

Deejay Hawaiian Ryan, morning drive deejay at KXME 104.3 FM, also will host a viewing keyed to the regular 7 p.m. airing.

Also at 8 this morning, Maryknoll School will honor its "mystery girl" candidate, Jasmine Trias, with a pep rally. She leaves for her "Idol" competition tomorrow.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.