Intercept message
Encyclopedia
An intercept message is a telephone
recording informing the caller that the call cannot be completed, for any of a number of reasons ranging from local congestion, to disconnection of the dialled phone, or network trouble along the route.
The precise wording of intercept messages is left to the discretion of each local telephone company, except that most such messages nowadays start with one of several Special information tones, standardized by Telcordia when it was still called Bellcore.
In the 1970s, for example, New York Telephone
used the following:
In rural areas, the name of the town from which the exchange service is furnished was often included in the message; this was especially true if the telephone company providing the service was not part of the Bell System
.
By the 1980s, a standardized generic message was adopted, and is in use in a vast majority of localities in the United States
today. It reads as follows:
The option also exists to replace the generic message with a customized message, as applicable, such as in cases where a subscriber's telephone number has changed, most commonly due to relocation; in that instance, the disconnected number
would be repeated, followed by a recitation of the new number. In many localities — particularly in or near large cities — this option is used even in cases where no new number has replaced the old one.
In the past, the call would be forwarded to an intercept operator after usually two readings of the message; today, however, this procedure is not observed, and a busy signal follows the second reading of the message instead.
A different intercept message is used when the caller has dialed a number the first three digits of which have not yet been assigned within that area code. This message, too, formerly varied by locality; the following was used in New York City
in the 1960s:
The standard version of this message in use today is the following:
AT&T
has an intercept message that is heard due to network congestion: " All circuits are busy now, please try your call again 914-2T". The number and digits at the end identify the Network edge or Tandem
switch the caller's local exchange company routed the call to. There is also a network message heard when an attempt to route a call to a nodal or ISDN T1 on the terminating end fails due to no call set-up signal from the PBX being received by the far-end Tandem or edge switch " Your call did not go through, 9142T".
The first automatic intercept systems used rotating magnetic drums containing multiple recorded phrases, with a computer
or mechanical control system playing phrases in the proper sequence.
Jane Barbe
is famous for being the voice behind all of the original, and most of the currently-used, intercept messages in the United States of America.
In almost any case, a telephone switch may be programmed to return a slow or fast busy signal
instead of an intercept message. Intercept messages also often end with a coded identifier signifying which switch the message is being played by; this can be useful for diagnosing network problems.
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
recording informing the caller that the call cannot be completed, for any of a number of reasons ranging from local congestion, to disconnection of the dialled phone, or network trouble along the route.
The precise wording of intercept messages is left to the discretion of each local telephone company, except that most such messages nowadays start with one of several Special information tones, standardized by Telcordia when it was still called Bellcore.
In the 1970s, for example, New York Telephone
New York Telephone
The New York Telephone Company was organized in 1896, taking over the New York City operations of the American Bell Telephone Company.-Predecessor companies:...
used the following:
- "I'm sorry; the number you have reached is not in service, or temporarily disconnected. The number you have reached is not in service at this time. This is a recording."
In rural areas, the name of the town from which the exchange service is furnished was often included in the message; this was especially true if the telephone company providing the service was not part of the Bell System
Bell System
The Bell System was the American Bell Telephone Company and then, subsequently, AT&T led system which provided telephone services to much of the United States and Canada from 1877 to 1984, at various times as a monopoly. In 1984, the company was broken up into separate companies, by a U.S...
.
By the 1980s, a standardized generic message was adopted, and is in use in a vast majority of localities in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
today. It reads as follows:
- "We're sorry; you have reached a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service. If you feel you have reached this recording in error, please check the number and try your call again."
The option also exists to replace the generic message with a customized message, as applicable, such as in cases where a subscriber's telephone number has changed, most commonly due to relocation; in that instance, the disconnected number
Telephone number
A telephone number or phone number is a sequence of digits used to call from one telephone line to another in a public switched telephone network. When telephone numbers were invented, they were short — as few as one, two or three digits — and were given orally to a switchboard operator...
would be repeated, followed by a recitation of the new number. In many localities — particularly in or near large cities — this option is used even in cases where no new number has replaced the old one.
In the past, the call would be forwarded to an intercept operator after usually two readings of the message; today, however, this procedure is not observed, and a busy signal follows the second reading of the message instead.
A different intercept message is used when the caller has dialed a number the first three digits of which have not yet been assigned within that area code. This message, too, formerly varied by locality; the following was used in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the 1960s:
- "If you are calling a number outside New York City, please dial the area code and the local number. If you are dialing a New York City number, please check the number and dial again. This is a recording. If you need assistance, please call your operator."
The standard version of this message in use today is the following:
- "We're sorry; we are unable to complete your call as dialed. Please check the number and dial again, or call your operator to help you."
AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
has an intercept message that is heard due to network congestion: " All circuits are busy now, please try your call again 914-2T". The number and digits at the end identify the Network edge or Tandem
Tandem
Tandem is an arrangement where a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction....
switch the caller's local exchange company routed the call to. There is also a network message heard when an attempt to route a call to a nodal or ISDN T1 on the terminating end fails due to no call set-up signal from the PBX being received by the far-end Tandem or edge switch " Your call did not go through, 9142T".
The first automatic intercept systems used rotating magnetic drums containing multiple recorded phrases, with a computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
or mechanical control system playing phrases in the proper sequence.
Jane Barbe
Jane Barbe
Jane Barbe was an American voice actress known as the "Time Lady" for the recordings she made for the Bell System and other phone companies. The ubiquity of her recordings eventually made her a pop-culture figure whose death drew national attention....
is famous for being the voice behind all of the original, and most of the currently-used, intercept messages in the United States of America.
In almost any case, a telephone switch may be programmed to return a slow or fast busy signal
Busy signal
A busy signal in telephony is an audible or visual signal to the calling party that indicates failure to complete the requested connection of that particular telephone call....
instead of an intercept message. Intercept messages also often end with a coded identifier signifying which switch the message is being played by; this can be useful for diagnosing network problems.