Tone or tone mode is installed by default on all modern smartphones, tablets, iPhones and iPads. Landline telephones operate not only in tone mode, but also in pulse mode. Push-button phones, of which there are still quite a lot of mobile network subscribers, work in the same way.
Therefore, many owners of the corresponding gadgets need to know how to enable or disable the tone mode , and in what case this has to be done.
How to disable tone mode?
Inspect the tube from all sides for the location of additional levers on it. If you notice a switch with the Latin letters P and T, meaning pulse and tone
set, then move the lever to position T. You can check it by pressing the number buttons.
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General concept of modes
Dialing a number on any device in a telecommunications network can be done in two modes:
- pulse - this is how all first-generation rotary and push-button landlines and radiotelephones worked;
- and tone, or tonal - all modern telecommunications devices operate in this mode.
What is the difference between these modes will be interesting to know for general development. Let's start with the pulse mode - this is a method of dialing numbers through sequential circuits and creating pulses, accompanied by characteristic clicks that we heard in the handset when using landline rotary phones. This mode is practically no longer used.
Tone mode is a set of numbers carried out using an analog multi-frequency two-tone signal. All digital telephone exchanges can recognize this signal.
What is pulse dialing?
Telephony, like other areas of communication, is improving every year. Different types of call organization are used, new technologies are being introduced. Older versions of landline phones were more primitive devices with complex implementation of calls and addressing subscribers. Previously, there was only a pulse method for dialing a telephone number. And it was implemented as follows: when making a call, the phone transmits information to the nearest telephone exchange using impulses - closing and opening the electrical circuit.
Each number on the phone corresponded to the same number of openings. For example, when dialing the number 8, the device broke and connected the circuit eight times in a row. The numbers were separated by a long pause. The number 0 corresponded to the number 10 in telephone dialing. Old home phones had a dialer - a plastic (or iron) disk with numbers. When typing one digit, breaks in the electrical circuit occurred quite quickly.
And while the disk was rolling back to its original position, a pause occurred. The ATS recognized it as the end of the first piece of information and determined the number entered by the user. This method has “outlived” its usefulness and is morally obsolete. Since it has many disadvantages and shortcomings, which are compensated by the new dialing mode - tone. Now we will find out how calls are organized in this way.
Why don't people like voice menus?
According to the survey, 52% of people who call an auto attendant or work with more advanced interactive voice response (IVR) systems are disappointed with them, and 18% generally experience anger when interacting with virtual call center agents. This is not surprising at all, especially if you constantly call the same place for information or updates and have to navigate through a specific menu route over and over again.
And even songs appeared that emphasized the disappointment of such communication with automatic assistants. For example, Tool's "LAMC" is a seven-minute parody song that pokes fun at the automated telephone menu of the Los Angeles Municipal Court. It seems that when listening to a track, the sounds of keystrokes with DTMF tones will no longer cause irritation.
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Extension number and tone mode
Miscellaneous
We have collected for you all the necessary information about what tone mode is and how to dial an extension number.
Tone mode
There are 2 phone modes: • Pulse.
He stood on old rotary phones and made short circuits on the telephone line, where the number of pulses repeated the dialed number. This mode is now almost never used. • Tonal. Installed on all modern devices and used automatically. Tone mode is a two-tone analog low-frequency signal. Using it, the user quickly and comfortably dials phone numbers. Operator services are also supported in tone mode. How to put your phone into tone mode? In modern devices, the tone mode is enabled automatically.
If you hear from the robot on the line that you need to enter an extension number in tone mode, do the following: • Open the dial keypad. • Enter the extension number.
There are exceptions in which the tone mode may be disabled or the input on the keyboard does not work, then you need to do the following: • When calling a number, open the dial keypad. • Press the “plus” or “star” button; on some devices the button must be held for 3 seconds. • The tone mode will turn on, you can dial the extension number.
To switch a push-button telephone to tone mode, press “asterisk” or “plus” for a few seconds, then the device will switch to tone mode. After this you need to dial the number.
If the tone mode on your device is turned off, go to the dialing or call settings and turn it on there.
Additional number
An extension number is an “internal” company number that is assigned to each of the departments of the organization so that they can be quickly contacted.
This is what the extension number will look like if you enter it before calling
Department extension numbers are usually listed on the company or organization website in the “Contacts” section. They will be written in brackets or after a comma near the main number. If you were unable to find such a combination, then call the company’s main number and wait until the operator answers you. The extension number is used for the convenience of both company employees and the client. There is no need to remember many numbers of different departments and dial the desired department through several employees.
How to dial an extension number on a smartphone?
We figured out what tone mode is and how to connect it.
Now we’ll find out how to enter the extension number that the robot on the line asks us to do. So: • Enter the desired number and listen to the answering machine again. • We know that the phone is already in tone mode, so we continue to listen to the robot. • If you know the extension number of the company or organization, enter these numbers and wait. If you can't enter numbers, hold down the asterisk or plus and try again. • You will be switched to the desired line, wait.
To enter an extension number, you will need to open the keyboard; if it is closed, there is a separate button for this. Don't hang up the call. Just make your phone screen turn on.
On a push-button telephone the actions are similar. Press “asterisk” or “plus” for a few seconds, dial the extension number, wait.
Save extension number on mobile
Many mobile phones allow you to save an extension number.
This function will be needed if you constantly call the organization. To save an extension number on your phone: • Enter your primary phone number first. • Press the asterisk or plus. A comma will appear after the number. • Enter the extension number. • Save the contact. Now you will always call with an extension number.
This article describes actions on new smartphone models. Please note that older phone models may not support this feature. Therefore, you have to enter the extension number over and over again.
Solving the problem if the dialed number is not allowed
Some people, when dialing a touch-tone extension from a mobile device, habitually click on the star button. They do not take into account that their devices operate with tone mode enabled by default. In this case, you may hear in response that “the dialed number is not allowed.”
This happens if the PBX perceives the asterisk as a special character. To reduce the likelihood of hacking, such icons are not used. You can solve the problem if you simply do not click on the asterisk.
Immediately after connecting to the answering machine, start entering the desired additional number. You can also wait for an operator to connect. If you do not touch the keyboard, some services will trigger a timer. As a result, you are forcibly connected to the specialist on duty. Describe your problem to him and listen to his recommendations.
Real life example
As an example, let's assume that we need to regularly call a local health care provider to schedule, change, or cancel an appointment. A call to the health center begins with a welcome message and information about emergency services and suicide, and the automated call handling system works within a full two minutes!
0:00 – 0:12 (welcome message, in case of emergency call “112”)
0:12 - 0:19 (press "7" to go to the psychological crisis line)
0:19 - 0:26 (emergency phone number)
0:26 – 0:32 (COVID vaccine information)
0:32 – 0:40 (fever, cold, flu-like systems, press “3” to switch to the doctor on duty)
0:40 - 0:46 (press "2" for recording information)
0:46 - 1:04 (notification of COVID testing in the facility)
1:04 – 1:15 (recommendations to get a flu shot if you haven’t already)
1:15 – 1:25 (press “6” for general questions)
1:25 - 1:28 (press extension at any time)
1:28 - 1:31 (press "1" to switch to pharmacy)
1:31 – 1:40 (press “2” to make an appointment/contact primary care)
1:40 – 1:45 (press “3” to call the doctor on duty)
1:45 – 1:50 (press “4” to learn about the benefits of the clinic)
1:50 – 1:53 (press “5” to resolve payment issues)
1:53 – 2:00 (to switch to the operator, press “0”).
At the 0:40 mark it says to press "2" for recording information, but if you miss this prompt it will be given again at the 1:31 mark. But instead of waiting for one of these prompts to appear, you could immediately press “2” after connecting to the system. However, people often have poor memory; the required extension number is not always remembered. Fortunately, the iPhone allows you to save the dial combination as a complete command, which is exactly what you need in this situation.
This only makes sense if you call a specific number periodically. If this is your first time accessing the voice menu, you will not be familiar with the key combinations and prompts for them. But if you call a number repeatedly, your iPhone can help you jump straight to the part of the menu you need every time.
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Comparison of two telephone dialing modes
Older pulse-dial phones had a rotating dial on the body. Each number corresponded to the same contact opening. The line for transmitting information consisted of an automatic telephone exchange, which redirected the incoming call to the required subscriber. As a rule, in small settlements the shortest possible number was organized. This was due to frequently misdialed numbers to reduce the likelihood of failures.
Pulses in a telephone can be compared to Morse code, where a certain number of short and long signals meant one letter. In the pulse method of information transmission it is the same - the number two means 2 openings of the contact, 3 - three openings, etc. This type of telephony is not resistant to interference. Therefore, it is considered outdated and unreliable. In addition, the circuit involved mechanical relays, which often failed.
Tone dialing is more noise-resistant and is implemented without any mechanisms. And the “communication” of two modern smartphones is realized by means of electromagnetic waves. With the conversion of low-frequency waves into high-frequency ones when transmitted from device to device. With subsequent reverse conversion to low frequencies directly in a device for detecting speech by human hearing.
How to edit a contact on an iPhone, taking into account the activation of the “Standby” mode
If you are having trouble dialing an extension number automatically because the pause was too short, try the option to activate the Standby mode.
This key will instruct the phone that it needs to wait for an additional action from the user - that same entry of an extension number.
To set up, follow the same steps as before, but select "Wait" instead of "Pause".
You will see a semicolon appear instead of a comma. Add an additional number immediately after this semicolon without a space before it. Click "Done" when finished.
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