The sounds you hear before someone answers

[David Tallan]

This may be a silly question, but I figure it doesn't hurt to ask. The telecommunications industry has done a great job in standardizing how their systems connect on a technical level, allowing us to seamlessly call anywhere in the world using a number of different infrastructures built and owned by different companies. But one area they seem to have missed in their standardization is that last connection, where they are connecting to human ear.

I call the number and then I hear a noise. At home, I know exactly what that noise means. Whether it is indicating that the phone is ringing but no one has answered yet (ring, pause, ring, pause, etc.) or whether it indicates that the line is busy and I should hang up and try again later (beep, pause, beep, pause, etc.), or whether it indicates that there is something wrong with the connection and I should redial and try again right away (rapid series of beeps).

But I have noticed in other countries that they don't use the same sounds. That means when I call someone, I don't know if I am hearing a ring tone or a busy signal or if there is something wrong with the connection and I don't know if I should wait or hang up.

Does anyone know the sounds they use in Spain to distinguish these things?

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

Ok, well, this may be a silly answer and definitely not helpful, but it is a rainy day and we can all use a laugh (though not intended or directed to be at your or anyone's expense);

.. -- .- --. .. -. . / .-- .... .- - / .. - / .-- .- ... / .-.. .. -.- . / .-- .... . -. / ... -- --- -.- . / ... .. --. -. .- .-.. ... / .-- . .-. . / - .... . / --- -. .-.. -.-- / .-- .- -.-- / - --- / -.-. --- -- -- ..- -. .. -.-. .- - . ..--..

Copy / Paste here to translate;

https://morsecode.scphillips.com/translator.html

 

[Tincatinker]

Those noises you hear.... they're just the agencies switching on their recording machines. Nothing to worry about.

As I recall the 'ringing' tone in Spain is an elongated 'morse code' dash and the engaged tone a dot. The 'you've forgotten to add the international dialling code so that your call can be routed via that box outside your house..' is a continuous 'booooooo'. But this is all in my sparse recall: it might have been Sweden.

The easy solution is to 'phone someone and ask

 

[SabsP]

Here in Belgium you will hear a recorded voice suggesting you to relax and pour a beer...
Just joking...must say I did not hear any differences in tone when calling in different countries...