If you are one of the users who doesn’t like how Outlook formats numbers or you sync with a PDA that doesn’t understand formatted phone numbers, you can temporarily stop the formatting by pausing the Telephony service. (Control panel, Administrator Tools, Services, double click on Telephony and pause it.)

This Windows service will restart when you reboot, but as long as you don’t edit the number or touch the button that brings up the check number dialog in contacts (labeled Business…, Home… etc) the formatting shouldn’t change.

If you don’t mind the formatting but don’t want the country code (i.e., +1) added to the number, leave the Telephony service enabled and DO NOT click the aforementioned buttons.

If you dial calls from Outlook or use a modem (including a cellular modem), these services will not work while Telephony is disabled. Skype and similar services may work.