Interpreting Ringer Tones

Interpreting Ringer Tones

As you become more familiar with your IP telephone, you will recognize the various tones you hear in response to an incoming call or while using the handset. The following chart provides an overview of the tones you hear. Check with your System Administrator to verify if the descriptions are accurate for your system. Ringing Tones accompany an incoming call. Feedback Tones are those which you hear through the handset (receiver) or the Speaker.

NOTE: The PBX, not the telephone, generates these tones, which can differ from this list. This difference is especially true when the PBX is outside the United States.


Ringing (Incoming) Tones	Meaning
1 Ring --------	Call from another extension.
2 Rings ------- -------	Call from outside or the System Administrator.
3 Rings ------ ------ ------	Priority call from another extension, or from an Automatic Callback call you placed.
Half Ring (ring-ping) ---	A call is being redirected from your phone to another because Send All Calls or Call Forwarding All Calls is active.


Feedback Tones	Meaning
Busy --- --- ---	Low-pitched, rapid tone (repeated 60 times per minute), signifying the number dialed is in use.
Call Waiting Ringback Tone ---_	A ringback tone with lower-pitched signal at the end. This indicates the extension called is busy and the called party was given a call waiting tone.
Confirmation -- -- --	Three short tone bursts. This indicates a feature activation or cancellation was accepted.
Coverage -	One short tone burst. This indicates your call will be sent to another extension for a covering user to answer.
Dial ---------	Continuous tone indicating dialing can start.
Intercept/Time-out -_-_-_-	Alternating high and low tone indicating a dialing error, denial of a requested service, or failure to dial within a preset interval (usually 10 seconds) after lifting the handset or dialing the previous digit.
Recall Dial - - - -----------	Three shorts tone bursts followed by a steady dial tone indicate a feature request was accepted and dialing can start.
Reorder -- -- -- -- -- --	Fast busy tone repeated every half-second indicate all phone trunk lines are busy.
Ringback ---- ---- ---- ----	Low-pitched tone repeated 15 times a minute indicates the number dialed is ringing.