Phone Call Tones

Authentic phone call tones from 193 countries—each based on its national standard. 1,537 files cover 46 call-progress tones, including dial, ringing, busy, congestion, call waiting and more.

Original price was: 69,00 $.Current price is: 41,40 $.

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Description

Phone call tones (also called “Call Progress Tones“) are standardized audio signals in telephone systems that indicate call status to users. These tones (dial tone, busy signal, ringback) vary by country with different frequencies and patterns defined by national standards. They provide non-verbal information about connection status in analog phones and digital phones.

Shapingwaves offers the worlds first and most complete sound library of international call progress tones available, covering 193 countries. This accurate collection includes 46 types of call progress tones like dial, busy, ringing, congestion, unobtainable, and waiting tones, precisely as heard on landlines and digital systems.

Authentic call progress tones — like dial tones, busy signals, ringback tones, and disconnect tones — are essential for creating believable and immersive audio environments in film, TV, games, radio drama or other related fields. Whether you’re setting a scene in 1970s London, present-day Tokyo, or rural France, audiences instantly recognize the subtle details of phone sounds that belong to their own culture and history. Getting these tones right strengthens authenticity and prevents even subtle breaks in immersion.

Our Call Progress Tone Sound Library offers a curated, high-quality collection of real-world tones sourced from dozens of countries. Carefully recorded and organized for professional audio production, these sounds save time, ensure accuracy, and add that final layer of realism your project needs. Whether you’re working on a historical drama, a contemporary thriller, or a detailed game environment, our library gives you the tools to dial in perfect authenticity with ease.

Sonic realism matters – locals will know when a phone tone is wrong. Need an intimate phone call scene in France to sound right? Or a busy tone in a public payphone in india? You could fake it by using any random phone tone — but with this library, you won’t have to. Just use the correct local phone tone for every situation.

All our sounds have the exact pitch/frequency and cadence as defined by each countries established standard. Repeating sounds (like dial or busy tones) are delivered as 30 second WAV files, ensuring that the breaks between tones have the correct length. Extensive Metadata and type descriptions across many fields allows drilling down by type or country to quickly find the landline phone tones you need.

Worldwide phone call tones / Call progress tones

All relevant phone tones / call progress tones are included: (3 – 8 per country, some only exist in specific countries) Acceptance Tone, Busy Tone, Call Waiting Tone, Caller Waiting Tone, Comfort Tone, Conference Tone, Confirmation Tone, Congestion Tone, Dial Tone, End Of Three Party Service Tone, Executive Override Tone, Facilities Tone, Function Acknowledge Tone, Holding Tone, Howler Tone, Identification Tone, Intercept Tone, Intrusion Tone, Line Lock Tone, Negative Indication Tone, Notify Tone, Number Unobtainable Tone, Offering Tone, Pay Tone, Payphone Recognition Tone, Permanent Signal Tone, Positive Indication Tone, Preemption Tone, Queue Tone, Recall Dial Tone, Record Tone, Re-order Tone, Refusal Tone, Ringing Tone, Route Tone, Search Tone, Second Dial Tone, Service Activated Tone, Special Dial Tone, Special Information Tone, Special Ringing Tone, Telephone Busy Tone, Test Number Tone, Tone, Waiting Tone, Warning Tone.

Phone call tones of 193 countries

The following countries phone tones are included in this sound library: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua Barbuda, Argentine Republic, Armenia, Aruba, Ascension, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bosnia Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Channel Islands Guernsey, Channel Islands Jersey, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote dIvoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Diego Garcia, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabonese Republic, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hongkong China, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao China, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldova, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwandese Republic, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre Miquelon, Saint Vincent the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tokelau, Trinidad Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Wallis Futuna, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

phone call tones

What types of Call Progress Tones / Phone tones are part of this sound library?

Acceptance Tone: A tone used to indicate that an exchange has received information from an access line or has processed a request received from an access line, such as the activation/deactivation of line services. It may also indicate that an interrogated service is active.

Busy Tone: Also known as the Engaged tone. A phone tone advising the caller that the telephone number is busy. Typically, the busy tone is a quick period tone, where the On period is equal to the Off period.

Call Waiting Tone: A tone advising the user of the call waiting supplementary service who is engaged on a call that someone is attempting to call his number. Typically, the call waiting tone is a slow period tone, where the On period is shorter than the Off period.

Caller Waiting Tone: Also known as the Special ringing tone. A phone call tone advising a caller that a called station, though busy, has a call waiting service active.

Comfort Tone: A tone advising that the call is being processed and that the caller should wait.

Conference Tone: A tone provided to the participants when the call reverts from a two-party call to a conference call.

Confirmation Tone: A tone used to indicate that an exchange has received information from an access line or has processed a request received from an access line, such as the activation/deactivation of line services. It may also indicate that an interrogated service is active.

Congestion Tone: Also known as the Fast busy tone and the Re-order tone. A telephone call sound advising the caller that the groups of lines or switching equipment necessary for the setting-up of the required call or for the use of a specific service are temporarily engaged.

Dial Tone: A tone advising that the exchange is ready to receive call information and inviting the user to start sending call information. In most countries, the dial tone is continuous.

End Of Three Party Service Tone: A phone tone provided to the remaining parties to a call when the call reverts from a three-way conference to a two-party call.

Executive Override Tone: A tone used to indicate that an overriding party is about to be bridged onto the connection.

Function Acknowledge Tone: A tone used to indicate that an exchange has received information from an access line or has processed a request received from an access line, such as the activation/deactivation of line services. It may also indicate that an interrogated service is active.

Holding Tone: A tone used to reassure a calling subscriber who has been placed “on hold” by a subscriber with PBX or other facilities.

Howler Tone: A tone used in older exchanges to inform a subscriber that their receiver is off-hook. It is a tone that may be swept in pitch and/or incremented in volume over a few seconds.

Intercept Tone: Also known as the SIT. A tone advising the caller that the called number cannot be reached for reasons other than “subscriber busy” or “congestion”. The tone may also be used in conjunction with recorded announcements.

Intrusion Tone: Also known as the Busy override warning tone, Busy verification tone and the Trunk offering tone. A tone advising participants during a call that the privacy of the conversation has been breached, e.g. by the intervention of an operator.

Line Lock Tone: A tone or silence played out to a line after an extended period of off-hook state where the line is not involved in a call.

Negative Indication Tone: Also known as the Refusal tone and the Switching tone. A phone tone advising a subscriber that the request for service cannot be accepted. It may also indicate that an interrogated service is not active.

Notify Tone: A tone used to draw attention of the caller after a specific duration.

Number Unobtainable Tone: A tone played out to indicate that the dialled number is not in service. The tone may precede an announcement.

Offering Tone: Also known as the Permanent signal tone and the Test tone. A tone played out to a line after an extended period of off-hook state where the line is not involved in a call.

Pay Tone: A tone advising users of a payphone that a payment is required. Typically, the pay tone is a slow period tone, where the On period is shorter than the Off period.

Payphone Recognition Tone: A tone advising a public exchange operator that the termination to or from which connection is sought is identified as a payphone.

Permanent Signal Tone: A tone played out to a line after an extended period of off-hook state where the line is not involved in a call.

Positive Indication Tone: A tone used to indicate that an exchange has received information from an access line or has processed a request received from an access line, such as the activation/deactivation of line services. It may also indicate that an interrogated service is active.

Preemption Tone: A tone provided to each party to a call which has been terminated due to preemption by a priority call.

Queue Tone: A tone provided to a calling party when the call has been placed into a queue awaiting answer.

Re-order Tone: Also known as the Fast busy tone and the Re-order tone. A tone advising the caller that the groups of lines or switching equipment necessary for the setting-up of the required call or for the use of a specific service are temporarily engaged.

Recall Dial Tone: A tone used to indicate that an exchange is ready to accept address information or other information from an access line.

Record Tone: A tone generated by automatic answering equipment to inform the calling subscriber when to begin a message which will be recorded.

Refusal Tone: A tone advising a subscriber that the request for service cannot be accepted. It may also indicate that an interrogated service is not active.

Ringing Tone: Also known as the Audible ring tone and the Ringback tone. A tone advising the caller that a connection has been made and that a calling signal is being applied to a telephone number or service point.

Search Tone: A tone advising the caller that the network is searching for the mobile called party.

Second Dial Tone: A tone advising the caller that the network has accepted the call information already sent and asking the caller to provide more information.

Service Activated Tone: A tone used to indicate that an exchange has received information from an access line or has processed a request received from an access line, such as the activation/deactivation of line services. It may also indicate that an interrogated service is active.

Special Dial Tone: Also known as the Stutter dial tone. A tone advising that the exchange is ready to receive call information and inviting the user to start sending call information, at the same time reminding the user that special conditions apply to the termination from which the call is being made.

Special Information Tone: A tone advising the caller that the called number cannot be reached for reasons other than “subscriber busy” or “congestion”. The tone may also be used in conjunction with recorded announcements.

Special Ringing Tone: A tone advising a caller that a called station, though busy, has a call waiting service active.

Telephone Busy Tone: A tone advising the caller that the telephone number is busy.

Waiting Tone: A tone provided periodically to a waiting calling party after the call has been placed into a queue, until the call has been answered.

Warning Tone: End of period – A tone provided to the paying party for a call to indicate that the period for which payment has been credited will soon expire. Operator intervening – A tone warning participants in a call that privacy of the conversation has been breached by the intervention of an operator. Pip tone – A tone provided to the paying party for a call to indicate that expiry of the period for which payment has been credited is imminent. Recorder warning – A tone warning participants in a call that the conversation is being recorded.

What are Call Progress Tones and how are they used?

Call progress tones (CPTs) are used in both digital and analog landline phone systems worldwide.

These tones are used in:

  1. Traditional analog landlines (POTS – Plain Old Telephone Service):
    • Implemented in central office switches
    • Generated by analog circuits in the telephone network
  2. Digital landlines (ISDN, digital PBX systems):
    • Implemented in digital switches
    • Generated digitally according to the same specifications
  3. VoIP (Voice over IP) systems:
    • While technically not traditional landlines, VoIP systems emulate the same tones for user familiarity
    • Generated digitally by software

The most common call progress tones include:

  • Dial tone
  • Busy tone
  • Ringback tone
  • Congestion tone
  • Special information tones (SIT)
  • Call waiting tone

These tones vary by country and region, with each country adopting specific frequencies and cadences for each call progress tone as defined in their national adaptations of the standards. For example, North America uses different tone patterns for a busy tone than European countries.

UCS Metadata & File list

Like all our SHAPINGWAVES collections, each WAV file in this library comes with UCS Filenames and 20+ fields of UCS 8.2.1. compliant embedded metadata (BWAV, iXML, LIST/INFO, Soundminer).

Metadata fields include: CategoryFull, Category, SubCategory, CatID, FXName, Description, BWDescription, CDDescription, CDTitle, Recordist, Designer, Artist, Manufacturer, Publisher, Source, URL, VendorCategory, ixmlNote, OpenTier, LongID, ShortID, Library, Keywords, TrackTitle, Microphone, Location, MicPerspective, RecMedium, RecType, Track, Version, ISRC.

Metadata translations provided in 40 languages (TSV/XLSX files), covering translations of Description, BWDescription, CDTitle, TrackTitle, CDDescription, FXName, and Keywords fields. We provide official UCS 8.2.1 Category/Subcategory translations for each of the 20 UCS 8.2.1 supported languages. The following 40 languages are included: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Farsi, Finnish, French, Georgian, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese Brazilian, Portuguese European, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Swedish, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, Xhosa, Zulu

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