Ringback Tone

A ringback tone (or ringing tone) is an audible indication that is heard on the telephone line by the caller while the phone they are calling is being rung. It is normally a repeated tone, designed to assure the calling party that the called party's line is ringing, although the ring-back tone may be out of sync with the ringing signal.

The ringback tone (or "RBT") is in most cases generated in the distant switch and transmitted in-band. A message is also sent over the signaling system (usually SS7). In most public phone networks the tone is not generated in the handset or by the local switch, as customized tones or voice announcements may be generated by the distant switch in place of a ringing signal.


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