asterisk users - Sep 2005 - Subject: '#' dialplan pattern matching

i am trying to setup a speed dial application in my dialplan, but
whenever i try to dial the pattern matched extension i get a 404 not
found.  my extension is defined as
'_XX#,1,goto(default,${DB(${CALLERIDNUM}/${EXTEN:0:2})},1)'.  after
doing some testing, i added an extension defined as '_.,1,NoOp(!* dial
${EXTEN})' and removed everything else in my context.  i found that the
'#' was being escaped as '%23'.  i am using sjphone and x-lite
sip
softphones and both have this problem.  any ideas to troubleshoot?

thanks for any help,
brian gehrich