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Old 18th May 2019, 12:50 pm   #9
Pellseinydd
Heptode
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Flintshire, UK.
Posts: 707
Default Re: GPO/BT Call Progress Tones?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Herald1360 View Post
I believe the "uneven" sounding engaged tone is "equipment busy" rather than "called party engaged".

I've heard "The number you have called, is unavailable" announcements.

I've also heard on occasion some pretty "rough" approximations to the various tones.
The 'uneven' engaged tone is known as 'congestion tone' or 'path engaged tone' - effectively indicating that there was a lack of available equipment somewhere along the route of the call.

The tone have changed over the years. Early exchanges didn't even have dialling tone - I can just remember some in service like that. And ringing tone wasn't always 'double beat' - some had single beat ringing as late as 1974!

For those with a line off CNet - various demonstrations of tones are available as follows -
0352 82 86 has a 1930 GPO recording about the tones then in use on larger exchanges (not the smaller rural exchanges)
Other demonstration codes - some Australian/New Zealand tones are similar to the UK tones - note that the modern UK Busy Tone is faster
01-283 AVEnue 0812 UK Number Unobtainable Tone (NU Tone)
01-283 AVEnue 0813 UK Congestion Tone
01-283 AVEnue 0814 UK Dialling Tone
01-283 AVEnue 0815 UK Pay on Answer paytone
01-283 AVEnue 0816 UK Ringing Tone
01-283 AVEnue 0817 UK Older 400/25 c/s Ringing Tone
01-283 AVEnue 0818 UK Older 400/17 c/s Ringing Tone
01-283 AVEnue 6111 Australian Busy Tone
01-283 AVEnue 6112 Australian Number Unobtainable Tone
01-283 AVEnue 6113 Australian Congestion Tone
01-283 AVEnue 6116 Australian Ringing Tone
01-283 AVEnue 6411 New Zealand Busy Tone
01-283 AVEnue 6412 New Zealand Number Unobtainable Tone
01-283 AVEnue 6413 New Zealand Congestion Tone
01-283 AVEnue 6414 New Zealand Old Overflow Busy Tone Used on 11th step of Group selectors. Remained in use on NZUAX13s long after being replaced on other exchanges.
01-283 AVEnue 6416 New Zealand Ringing Tone

If you've not got a CNet line (they have no rental or charges!_) you can reach the numbers by dialling 01352 83 8111 the after the announcement dial the above numbers - to save redialling the PSTN number, just press # then the next number you want to dual. Calls charged at normal landline rates and included in most 'free calls' packages as it is a normal 01... number
Don't all dial at once!

The current BT Network Tones/Announcement definitions can be found at here
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