binbird

Could someone please tell me if phones here have the same engaged tone sound as phones in the UK......

Several times now I have been on a phone call (usually to the UK) and I can hear a faint ringing (at my end only) when I am trying to hold a conversation. My Dad has got in the habit of calling at about 9pm of an evening once a week and I was talking to someone last night when I heard this again. I texted my Dad today and asked if he tried to call last night and he said yes but the phone just rang and rang and went unanswered. He knows now that if this happens it is because I am on another call because if the phone line was free it would go straight on to the answer phone after about 5 rings.

Does this happen to anyone else? Is there a fault with my phone or my phone line? I wonder if this only happens with callers from overseas?

Anyone any answers?

Binbird

ABCDiamond

You may have call waiting activated, a ringing sound to advise that you have another call coming in.

artep

What I find weird here is that when you're on the internet (dial up...sigh) and someone tries to phone you....all they hear at their end is the phone ringing..and ringing, like there's no-one home. Several people have accused me of being a complete party animal because they think I'm never home!....as if!

brisnick

that'll be the call waiting again

JayneS

this one has caught me out a few times and only now after a year and a half have i been advised that there is no engaged tone here!! it carries on ringing so to the caller it appears you aren't there and you get that little bleep that you hear when they are trying to get through.

artep

ahhh no....when i'm actually talking to someone on the phone though & someone's trying to call me I hear a 'beep beep'....'beep beep'....not a ringing tone.

artep

....but when I'm on the internet I'm unaware anyone is trying to call me & all the caller hears is the phone ringing like there's no-one home

andrew63

That'll be call waiting. Call Telstra (or your provider) and get them to turn it off on your phone and when people phone you and you are on the phone, they will get the enegaged signal.
The engaged tone does exist over here!

Andrew

andrew63

Yes, but when you are on the computer, you can't hear the phone line. Otherwise it would be that screeching sound you get when you first log on.
In your modem set up, you should be able to select that incoming calls knock you off the web and the phone rings - if that's what you want. Otherwise, call Telstra (or your provider) and get them to turn off your call waiting.

Andrew

andrew63

That's because the phone speaker input is turned off automatically when you connect to the web otherwsie you would hear that screeching sound all the time. Get your call waiting disconnected.

Andrew

binbird

Thank you for all the responses. Do I assume then, that "call waiting" is automatically applied to my account as it is not something that I specifically asked for? Is this another little trick whereby they manage to con more money out of us?!

Binbird

YFitz

Anyone know what buttons to press to switch between the new caller and the current caller?

ABCDiamond

Call Waiting

When you are on the phone with another call, and someone else rings you, they do not always get the engaged tone, the phone may ring, but YOU should hear a beeping tone (2 beeps every 5 seconds) to advise you that you have a 2nd call. You then have the option to put the first call on hold, and take the 2nd call, and then revert back to the 1st call after that one ends.

If your line is used for dial up internet, it is best to set up call waiting cancellation, for the duration of that internet session, so that the caller gets the engaged tone, and your internet session isn't interrupted.

Information on call waiting from Telstra http://www.telstra.com/countrywide/r...ll_waiting.pdf

ABCDiamond

See the link in my post above for the dialling options to turn on/off.


This service is "normally" free and all new services will have Call Waiting automatically turned on. See this from Telstra
http://www.telstra.com/countrywide/d...asp?sn=2&vp=67

Gibbo

All the info for call waiting etc, which is free, can be found in the front of the Sydney White Pages Business and Government phone book. And yes as others have said we do have an engaged signal.