Distinctive ring
Encyclopedia
Distinctive ring, marketed under a variety of names, is a service offered by a telephone company that establishes additional telephone numbers on the same line as an existing number, each number ringing with a distinctive ringing pattern. Typically, the original number rings with the standard ring pattern that is common to the nation where the line is connected. Regardless of what ringing pattern the called party hears, the calling party
hears the standard ringing pattern.
Adjunct hardware can be employed with this service. For example, if two or three people, as roommates, share a residence, each can have his/her own telephone number, and a phone set in his/her own bedroom, equipped with a "ring selector" that is set to filter out all but one particular ringing pattern. When an incoming call rings with a pattern other than the one selected, the telephone set connected to the device would not ring at all, sparing the occupant an intrusion.
, the feature is commonly referred to as Ident-a-Call (Bell Canada
), in western Canada
Smart Ring (Telus
and Northwestel
), as well as Teen Ring. In the US, AT&T
refers to the feature as RingMaster. The feature can be used, in conjunction with ring-recognition software or hardware, to allow voice and fax to share a single phone line, though with only one call at a time. It is also often promoted as a means of incoming call recognition when the line often rings for other members of the household. Householders often come up with their own ingenious uses for the feature.
Calling party
The calling party is a person who initiates a telephone call over the public switched telephone network, usually by dialing a telephone number....
hears the standard ringing pattern.
Adjunct hardware can be employed with this service. For example, if two or three people, as roommates, share a residence, each can have his/her own telephone number, and a phone set in his/her own bedroom, equipped with a "ring selector" that is set to filter out all but one particular ringing pattern. When an incoming call rings with a pattern other than the one selected, the telephone set connected to the device would not ring at all, sparing the occupant an intrusion.
Brand names
In OntarioOntario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, the feature is commonly referred to as Ident-a-Call (Bell Canada
Bell Canada
Bell Canada is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Including its subsidiaries such as Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for telephone and DSL Internet services in most of Canada east of Manitoba and in the northern territories,...
), in western Canada
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
Smart Ring (Telus
TELUS
Telus is a national telecommunications company in Canada that provides a wide range of telecommunications products and services including internet access, voice, entertainment, video, and satellite television. The company is based in Burnaby, British Columbia, part of Greater Vancouver...
and Northwestel
Northwestel
Northwestel Inc. is the incumbent local exchange carrier and long distance carrier in Northern Canada. The company name is a portmanteau, sometimes spelled NorthwesTel, for Northwest Telecommunications.-Modern corporate history:...
), as well as Teen Ring. In the US, 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...
refers to the feature as RingMaster. The feature can be used, in conjunction with ring-recognition software or hardware, to allow voice and fax to share a single phone line, though with only one call at a time. It is also often promoted as a means of incoming call recognition when the line often rings for other members of the household. Householders often come up with their own ingenious uses for the feature.