Tone mode on a landline telephone. What does it mean to put your phone into tone mode?
Many companies, be it a cellular operator or a large online store, today offer to use a convenient menu when making a call by pressing the dial keys. For example, do you want to buy a product? Press one. Should you consult a specialist? Press two. Etc. When making a call, you can usually hear that the phone needs to be switched to tone or tone (these are the same thing) mode. How to do this?
Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency, DTMF, or tone dialing, is a two-tone, multi-frequency analog signal used to dial a telephone number. Many PBXs can receive a telephone number in tone form, but only if the PBX is replaced with a digital one. Other PBXs are capable of receiving a telephone number only in pulse mode. Pulse mode is a method of dialing a telephone number, in which the digits of the dialed number are transmitted to the telephone exchange by sequentially closing and opening the telephone line, and the number of pulses corresponds to the transmitted number, with the number 0 being transmitted in ten pulses.
As for our main question, everything is very, very simple. Let's say when you make a call you are told to put your phone into tone mode by pressing the star. If you are calling from your smartphone, do not press anything as the default mode is tone (tone) mode. This applies to any smartphone, including iPhone:
Or, say, Xiaomi:
And even if you click on the same star, nothing will happen.
As for landline phones, the situation is different. To switch to tone mode from pulse mode, it is usually recommended to click on the asterisk (*) icon. Pay attention to the image of the Panasonic phone, where the inscription Tone is clearly visible under the asterisk, which indicates that you need to press this particular button.
Some phone models have separate buttons, for example, T or P. And some modern landline phones do not have tone mode support at all. To be fair, we note that such models are rare.
Often, when contacting support or calling a hotline, the subscriber is urged to switch to touch-tone dialing. As a rule, this happens when trying to call a multi-channel number, which involves pressing numbers on the handset of the phone to confirm the choice. It’s not difficult even for a beginner to understand such nuances.
What is tone mode on a phone?
Telephone communication is a complex thing, but at the same time incredibly interesting. For this reason, before switching the phone to tone mode, it is worth understanding its essence and considering what other dialing options are available. Telecommunication technologies are moving far ahead every year, and even now modern devices only support the tone type. For devices released earlier, you still have to switch between two:
- pulse, which involves closing the telephone line in a special way, where each dialed digit corresponds to the number of pulses.
- tone, using an analog signal to dial the required combination of numbers.
A user who does not understand the intricacies of this topic will be able to distinguish these methods of entering numbers by ear. Remember the old rotary phones: when you scrolled the disk, you heard some clicks that varied depending on the number. Some devices released even 10-15 years ago still have the ability to switch to pulse mode. Another input method will give itself away as a difference in the pitch of the signal, which will depend on the key pressed. The advantage of tone digital input over pulse input lies primarily in the speed of dialing and connecting with the subscriber.
Touch tone on a landline phone
With the passage of time and the development of internal telephone networks, the abandonment of outdated pulse dialing seems quite logical. Multifunctional office phones, similar to those produced by Avaya, do not even have the ability to change modes. This is understandable, since in large companies work is constantly in full swing, and the speed of dialing to a client or partner is important.
Home devices will make you worry about how to enable tone mode on your phone. For example, the list of characteristics of the wired model of a Panasonic device states that both options are available. In some cases, pressing buttons is not enough to switch between them, and you should contact your communications service company for help. It is a mistake to believe that absolutely all radio telephones, unlike wired telephones, have only tone dialing. Voxtel Select series devices support both methods of transmitting a telephone number.
Tone mode on a mobile phone
It is more profitable to make calls to long-distance hotlines, where you have to listen to the answering machine for a long time, from a mobile phone. Most devices are equipped with only one input method, so the question of how to switch a cell phone to tone mode does not arise. To switch to the extension line of the desired operator, you will need to press keys with certain numbers, which is only possible with the tone option. A person dialing a call center number will hear a characteristic signal, indicating that the connection has been established with the selected operator.
There has never been a pulse connection on mobile phones, since this is a feature of telephone networks for landline devices, and the modernization of Russian telephone exchanges has made it possible to abandon this option forever. However, it may not be necessary to switch between input methods, but to enable the desired type of connection that was disabled for some reason. Without activating this function, some devices will not allow you to dial a number.
How to put a mobile phone into tone mode
If we answer this question in general and in relation to each gadget, but there is only one answer - nothing! By default, all phones support and operate in tone mode and do not provide any other selection options. However, there are exceptions to the rules: you cannot transfer to another set, but you can simply turn off the existing tone set. This instruction explains how to switch to tone mode on a mobile phone with touch controls:
- Dial the phone number.
- Once the connection is established, bring up the on-screen keyboard.
- Press the star or plus key. For different gadget models, you may need to hold these buttons for a while.
This algorithm will also be effective for owners of push-button phone models. Here the situation is even somewhat simpler: you don’t need to open the keyboard on the screen. Having reached the dialed number and heard a request to turn on tone input, which was probably turned off, you only need to press and hold one of the keys (usually “star”, “pound” or “plus”) until a characteristic signal.
Switching a landline phone to tone mode
The internal structure of home communication devices, like telephone lines, determines the choice of mode change method. In most cases, this can be done without leaving the apartment or private house. How to put your phone into tone mode in the classic way is described in the following instructions:
- Pick up the phone if you have a corded one, or press the call key on your radiotelephone.
- Hold the star button for a second.
- Try pressing the number keys: if they make sounds that are different in tone, then everything is done correctly.
Another option is suitable only for some models:
- 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 dialing, then move the lever to the T position.
- You can check by pressing the number buttons.
Video: Tone mode
Instructions
Check tone mode Or you can press any button while the handset is off-hook. Yours may already be in mode e tone dialing. Listen to the sounds it makes when dialing. If these are short signals, mode really tonal. If you hear short clicks in the telephone handset, the dialing is pulsed. This means you may not be able to take advantage of some interactive features.
To switch some phones to mode Tone dialing is not enough to simply press a key. You need to hold it for 1-2 seconds. Try holding the "*" or "#" button for a while. Then look at the phone radio screen. The corresponding inscription should appear on it: “tone” or “t”. If the inscription does not appear, listen again to the sounds that are made when pressing the buttons. Some telephones have "tone" or "t" and "i" keys/switches. In such phones, just select the one you need mode(pulse/tone). Switches can be located on the side or base. There are many phones with individual switching mode tone dialing. For example, sequential pressing of the keys "*" "-" or "-" "*" "-". Tonal mode included.
If none of the combinations helped switch your radio phone to mode tone dialing, carefully study the menu of your device. In many, switching from one mode and on the other it happens in the handset settings. Open the menu, select the appropriate item ( /pulse mode), click "ok". If none of the methods works for you, carefully read the instructions for your phone. Perhaps it is individual. In addition, incorrect handling may lead to undesirable changes in some functions.
Please note
Your phone may always be in touch tone mode.
Useful advice
Before starting to work with your phone, carefully read the instructions for it. Any incorrect actions can lead to its breakdown.
Modes There are only two ways to dial a telephone number – pulse and tone. All landline phones in Russia use pulse mode by default. Tone may be required if you need to select a response using a number, for example, when calling a call center. Then the automatic voice will ask you to first put the phone into tone mode.
You will need
- instructions for the telephone set
Instructions
First of all, determine the mode that you are already using. This is easy to do - if, when dialing a number, you hear clicks (the number of clicks is equal to the number corresponding to the dialed digit), then the mode is pulse. Tone mode is characterized by sounds of different pitches - tones that can be heard when pressing number buttons.
It is important whether your phone supports touch tone dialing. Old rotary phones can only operate in pulse mode. It also happens that the telephone exchange to which your number is connected is old and analog, so it functions only in pulse mode. This means that you will not be able to change it to tone. But in most cases, modern phones can operate in both tone and pulse modes.
Almost all telephone sets (approximately 90%) switch to tone mode very simply - you just need to press the “star” button (*). Typically, of the remaining 10%, most of the devices have a TONE or TONE button on the keyboard, which changes the dialing modes.
If your phone is one of a small number of those devices that are configured in an exceptional and unusual way, you will have to find the instructions for it and read how to put the phone into tone mode. But such models are extremely rare.
Please note
When dialing a number from a cell phone, remember that cellular communications only use tone dialing, so you won’t need to translate anything.
Useful advice
If you often have to dial a number that requires switching to tone mode, and you have a phone in which this action requires a complex sequence of button presses, then you can store the entire combination in memory. Then, to change the mode, you will only need to dial the number from the device’s memory, and this is much easier than remembering sequences or always keeping the instructions at hand.
Sources:
- tone dialing mode
For firmware radiotelephone you need to clearly define the purpose of such an action. Perhaps the radiotelephone began to malfunction during normal operation - it responds slowly to button presses, turns off spontaneously, and phone numbers are not saved. One of the reasons for updating the firmware may be a program change in order to receive updates, improve the operation of the phone by optimizing the operating parameters and its structure.
You will need
- Guide to flashing radiotelephone firmware.
Instructions
To flash Nokia phone firmware, connect the phone to the computer and in the folder properties, find the display of hidden files, enable them and make them open.
Download the new version for your model from the company's website radiotelephone, create a new folder and extract all the files into it. The important thing is that the folder must be empty and not located in the saved files of the phone.
The NSU program will start flashing the firmware automatically, but you need to connect to the Internet, or you can use the phone itself as a modem. Based on the traffic, they are guided by the correctness of the download, it should be less than 1 MB; if the value is higher, then you need to cancel this action and try to download the update again.
Turn on the charger and run the program, click the “next” button, accept the terms of the license agreement. Now the download occurs, after it is completed the program will restart the phone. That's all, the phone is reflashed and ready to go.
Please note
For different operating systems, you need to copy the corresponding files.
Useful advice
Entry rm-313 – needs to be changed according to your phone model. To download the firmware, you can use your phone as a modem; to do this, you need to configure access via the radiotelephone and register an access point in it.
Cell phone locking is used to protect the owner’s personal data in case of theft or loss of the mobile phone. You may also encounter operator locking of your phone, which will prevent you from using it on any network other than the original one. In each case there is a specific sequence of actions that must be taken.
Instructions
The SIM card is blocked due to entering the wrong PIN code three times. It is possible to remove the PIN code. To do this, you need to enter the pack code located on the SIM card packaging. Once you enter it, you will be prompted to enter a new PIN. If this attempt fails, contact your mobile operator. Request a replacement SIM card. This will require passport data and the physical presence of the owner of the phone number.
Operator locking of the phone is used to prevent the device from being used on a network other than the original one. In this case, when you turn on the phone with someone else's SIM card, a request for an unlock code appears. You can obtain this code by contacting your operator's representative office. Justify your request by saying that you want to use the phone while traveling, but do not want to overpay for roaming. Provide your phone's serial number as well as owner details for verification. Use the received code to remove the protection.
If your phone is locked with security codes and you don’t remember it, contact the representative office of the manufacturer of your device. You will need a firmware reset code or a reset code. Provide your phone serial number and enter the codes. Keep in mind that using the firmware reset code will return the phone to its factory state, i.e. will erase all existing personal files. Using a reset code will allow you to keep the personal information saved on your mobile, but will return all settings to factory settings.
If the previous step failed, reflash the phone. Use sites such as allnokia.com or samsung-fun.ru to find programs and instructions for synchronization, as well as further updating the cellular firmware.
When dialing telephone numbers for large enterprises, it is often necessary to use extension numbers to contact the desired department or person. These numbers serve to organize the coordinated work of employees. But often difficulties may arise related to how to dial an extension number correctly.
Offices of modern companies are rooms divided by partitions into separate sections. In each section there are employees performing specific work. All workplaces are equipped with computers and telephones. To contact a specific employee, you need to dial the company's main number. After connection, the extension number is dialed to establish the required contact.
The use of extensions is widespread due to their convenience, speed, ease of use and cost savings on additional equipment. Considering the fact that all employees have their own mobile phones, and many have home phones, virtual exchanges allow you to transfer a call to any of them. In this case, calls can be transferred not only to phones, but also to Skype or voice mail.
So, if you have a question about how to dial an extension number from a mobile phone, you should use the instructions:
- First of all, the company's phone number is studied. As a rule, it includes two parts: the first is the main number, and the second, which is usually taken in brackets, is the additional number.
- On the mobile phone, dial the main number of the company and press the call key.
- You must connect to the answering machine, which should be listened to completely to avoid crashing and having to redial the number. The answering machine at the end of its message will list the main extension numbers and offer to dial the necessary one.
- Next, a characteristic signal will sound, after which you need to enter the extension number and wait for an answer.
- When dialing an extension from a mobile phone, switching to tone mode is not necessary, since this is done automatically on mobile phones.
- If the telephone exchange does not connect correctly, do not disconnect to redial the number. In this case, contact the person who answered and ask him to independently switch you to the right specialist or department. Most likely, an employee of the company will treat your situation with loyalty and fulfill your request. But, in case of refusal, simply enter the extension number again.
Automatically dial an extension number from a smartphone
How to dial an extension number from a mobile smartphone? Sophisticated operating systems allow smartphones to be programmed to call extensions.
- You should first dial the company number to determine the amount of time required to enter the extension number.
- Immediately after the connection occurs, enter the extension number. If this works, then when dialing a number, you should use functions such as pause or comma.
- If you had to wait for the autonomous system to announce all the options, then use options such as pause or semicolon.
- These actions apply to both a smartphone running Android and an Apple smartphone.
- Log in to “contacts” on your phone.
- Now you need to press “+” to create a new contact and select the number to which you want to attach the extension. To do this, click on the selected contact and select “Edit”.
- Next, you need to click the area next to the section with the phone number. You may need to press the "+" icon to enter a new number.
- At this stage you should enter the number. If you have already entered the main number, then you need to place the cursor in front of it.
- If you are using an iPhone, press the “+*#” keys, which are located at the bottom of the keyboard. If you are using an Android smartphone, then you need to proceed to the next step.
- If the extension number is entered immediately, then the “pause” method is used. On an iPhone, press the pause key to enter a comma in the field, and then enter the extension number. On Android, you need to type a comma on the keyboard and then enter the extension number.
If you are using a smartphone, it will pause automatically and enter the extension number after the call.
- If you have to listen to all the options before entering an extension number, you can select the “waiting” function. To do this, press the “wait” button on the iPhone, then enter a semicolon, followed by the extension number.
Before you enter the extension number, the smartphone will wait for a call from the system for some time.
- Before leaving contacts, you must click “Save changes” or “Done”.
- Test the number by making a call.
If the question arises of how to dial an extension number from a landline phone, please note that it is more convenient to perform this action on a push-button telephone, since rotary telephones, as a rule, operate only in pulse mode and may not have the necessary functions. Extension numbers from landline phones can be dialed in two ways: tone mode and pulse dialing.
Pulse dialing
There are situations when the PBX can only support pulse dialing. How to dial an extension number on a landline phone in such cases?
First you should establish a connection and only then switch to tone mode. As a rule, the “*” key is used for this, but different phone models may have different methods of transition, so if a problem occurs, you can use the instructions for the phone.
It should be noted that calling extension numbers from a landline phone is more convenient than from a mobile phone, since the latter are charged the same as for landline numbers, and the time is counted from the moment of connection with the answering machine. As a result, disconnection may occur due to insufficient funds in the account.
Before dialing an extension number in tone mode, you should find out how to correctly switch your device to tone mode.
Usually, by default, all phones are set to pulse mode. It differs from the tonal one by its characteristic crackling sound. If a number is dialed in tone mode, you can hear individual tones. If an autoinformer is used, then it is necessary to set various combinations of numbers, which is impossible in the pulse mode. To turn on the tone mode for a short time, use “*”, but for subsequent calls the tone mode is turned off.
- To convert pulse mode to tone mode, you should take the instructions for the phone and study the paragraph regarding this issue. For Siemens Gigaset phones, turning on the tone mode is performed in the following combination: press the call key, then call the function by dialing “10”, after which a menu will open in which you need to press the “1” key (tone mode).
- For VoxteL phones, turning on the tone mode is done as follows: press the programming button, then the key combination “*-2-2”. After the sound signal appears, you need to press “*” and the “programming” key again. DECT base phones have a button that switches pulse mode to tone mode.
- To turn on the tone signal in modern Panasonic devices, you should examine its side and find a special slider there. It needs to be moved to the “TONE” mode. Older models are not equipped with such a slider, so you will need to go to the menu, find the “call programming” option and select “Tone dialing mode”.
After your phone is configured to the required mode, you should figure out how to dial an extension number in tone mode:
- Business telephone numbers that include extensions have two parts, one of which is the extension number and is usually enclosed in parentheses. To connect to the desired department, you need to dial the main number and the call key on the keypad, as a result of which you will be connected to the answering machine.
- Make sure your phone is set to tone mode. If this is not the case, then you should simply press the “star”. Some phones have a dedicated Pulse-Tone button, and some work natively in tone mode.
- After the device switches to tone mode, you can begin entering the digits of the extension number. If there are short signals of different frequencies during the dialing process, we can conclude that the transition to the tone mode was successful.
- Next you need to dial the extension number and wait for an answer.
Have you ever had to dial extension numbers? What phone did you do this from - mobile or landline? Tell us about it in
How to put your phone into tone mode?
I have to make a lot of calls during the day. And very often, to reach operators through the answering machine menu. you have to put the phone into tone mode. To do this, I usually click on the button with an asterisk - *
Question, how to put your phone into tone mode, for many young people does not make sense at all, since they have only dealt with mobile phones that have this mode installed by default.
As for older people, they still remember analog phones that had a rotating dial for dialing. Digital phones that appeared later had two dialing modes: traditional and tonal. During tone dialing, sounds of different pitches are heard, each of which corresponds to one digit. To put your landline phone into tone mode you need to either press the asterisk * or switch the tone switch to tone mode. The mode switch is usually located on the back of the telephone, where the wire connects.
Most corded telephones, as well as many older models, actually switch to tone mode using a slider, which is usually located on the bottom of the telephone or on its back wall. This function is designated Tone / T and Pulse / P. Move the slider to the T position and the phone will work in tone mode.
Not everything is so simple with new phone models. The desired function may be hidden somewhere in the phone menu, and in order to use it and put the phone into tone mode, you should carefully study the instructions. For different models, the settings may differ significantly.
If the phone is equipped with two dialing systems - tone and pulse, and at the same time operates in pulse mode by default, there are two options for switching modes. One of them is mechanical, with a microswitch on the phone body marked T and I.
The second option is simpler - just press the button with the asterisk sign while the handset is off-hook.
There are also phone models in which dialing modes are switched through the phone menu - here you will have to read the instructions for this phone model.
First you need to determine in what mode the phone operates, tone or pulse.
If clicks are heard after pressing the button, then the mode is pulse; if short signals are heard, then the mode is tone.
Press the button on your phone * (asterisk) - this method of switching to tone mode is suitable for most devices.
You can switch on the phone body using special buttons, but usually just holding down the asterisk is enough. But I always had to do this through the phone settings, in the sounds tab - everything is simple and clear there, just check/uncheck or select the desired mode and that’s it. Therefore, there is nothing complicated about it, the main thing is to choose the most suitable and convenient method for yourself.
To put your home phone into tone mode When the handset is off-hook, you need to press the star. In some phone models you need to translate through the menu. There is no need to switch your mobile phone - it is already in tone mode.
At work, to put the phone into tone mode, just press the * button, below it and the inscription is in English tone.
And on a home telephone, there is a key on the back of the device to switch to tone mode.
Cell phones, if I'm not mistaken, are already configured in tone mode. To switch a landline phone to tone mode, press the asterisk (*).
Some early models of mobile phones still offer the option to switch the phone to tone mode. Other mobile devices are already set to tone mode.
if you need to change the mode yourself, then press the asterisk and hold it.
The phone has two modes - tone and pulse. In pulse mode, when you press the buttons, clicks will be heard. If the phone is set to tone mode, short beeps will be heard when pressed. Most phones have an easy way to change from one mode to another. You just need to unlock the phone and hold the star until the mode changes.
By default, the tone mode is already installed on the phone. It all depends on the phone’s firmware; there are a lot of touch-tone and simple ones. During a conversation - this is when the connection has already started, press * (asterisk) and just wait for the mode to change. This action is suitable for almost all telephones.
The telephone set should have such a button, or rather a switch, and the tone mode is indicated by tone. Inspect the device and find it.