In other words, before a phone call is initiated, the telephone set is in a ready condition waiting for a caller to pick up its handset. When the handset rests on the cradle, the circuit is on-hook. The progress of a telephone call with loop-start signaling in place can be divided into five phases on-hook, off-hook, dialing, switching, ringing, and talking. Refer to Cisco Technical Tips Conventions for more information on document conventions.

This document is not restricted to specific software and hardware versions. There are no specific requirements for this document. In this document a discussion of specific signaling types within each category precedes an examination of basic call progress from call origination to termination. A phone call cannot take place without all of these signaling techniques. Alerting provides audible tones to the user, which indicate certain conditions such as an incoming call or a busy phone. These dialed digits provide the switch with a connection path to another phone or customer premises equipment (CPE). Addressing involves passing dialed digits (pulsed or tone) to a private branch exchange (PBX) or central office (CO). A circuit (loop) can close to connect a call, for example. Once these changes are detected, the supervisory circuit generates a predetermined response. Supervision involves the detection of changes to the status of a loop or trunk. These signaling techniques can be placed into one of three categories supervision, addressing, or alerting. This paper discusses the signaling techniques required to control voice transmission.

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