Telephone Sounds

In the telephone network, there are various intercept recordings to inform the caller of a problem that prevents them from completing their call – and the reason why. Also, there are many “call progress” information sounds (such as Dial Tone, Ringback, Reorder, etc) to inform the caller of various stages of a call or there is an error that prevents the call from being completed. Here are some examples of various sounds from the USA and Canada that either have been encountered in the past, or can be encountered in the present. There is also a page dedicated to International sounds and recordings. And last, are some miscellaneous recordings that include parodies and other tidbits of knowledge.

Modern Telephone Sounds
Telephone sounds that can be commonly found in the North American (US and Canadian) telephone networks.

Vintage Telephone Sounds
Telephone sounds that were once commonly found in US, Canadian and British telephone networks through the 1980’s. Included are sounds of Step by Step (SxS) & Strowger, Number 1 crossbar (1XB), Number 5 crossbar (5XB), and other older telephone equipment.

International Telephone Sounds
Telephone sounds and recordings from outside the US & Canada telephone network.

Miscellaneous Telephone Sounds
Other telephone related sounds and recordings.

Wawina, MN Telephone Sounds
Sounds from the Northern Telephone Company of Minnesota – home to the last N2 analog carrier system in the lower 48 states!

Other Telephone Sounds & Recordings Pages (off-site)

Evan Doorbell’s Telephone Tapes
Operated by Telephone World! Evan Doorbell’s trip down telephone history with his telephone recordings from the 1970s and 1980s.

Phone Trips
A web site with many historical “phone trips” to various places in the US by “Mark Bernay” and “Evan Doorbell” and others with narrated recordings of making phone calls from and to various switching equipment in the late 1960s to late 1970s.

This Is a Recording
A website with a large number of telephone sound recordings. Formerly “The Web Page You Have Reached.” Web site operated by Jennifer Martino.

Tribute To The Telephone – Signal and Circuit Conditions
An all-inclusive telephone tribute site with a page of various phone sounds past and present. Founded by David Massey and maintained by Bob & Sheri Stritof.