ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Call-progress tone

A call-progress tone is a sound that you hear when you're on the phone. It can tell you important information about your call, like if it's ringing or if someone has answered. It's like a little messenger that talks to you through the phone.

When you make a call, you might hear a ringing sound before someone answers. That ringing sound is a call-progress tone. It tells you that the phone on the other end is ringing and someone might answer soon.

If someone does answer, you might hear a different tone that tells you that someone has picked up the phone. This tone is called an answer tone. It means that the person you're calling has answered the phone and you can start talking.

Sometimes, you might hear a busy signal when you try to make a call. This happens when the person you're calling is already talking to someone else on the phone. The busy signal is another type of call-progress tone that tells you that the person is busy and you should try again later.

So, call-progress tones are like little helpers that tell you what's happening with your phone call. They make it easier to know when to start talking and when you might need to try again later.