HTC Touch (CDMA) / XV6900

Wanted to buy the XV6900 but while test-driving it at Verizon I hit a major problem. When calling my office to retrieve voicemail messages left there the access code is **, a double star. But the XV6900 doesn't recognize ** and treats it as a pause. Strange because most Northern Telecom switches use the ** access code. It would seem that there is a way to program the touchpad to get the intended double **. Anyone know a work-around?