All over the world there are telephone
systems. Some have their similarities to the North American system,
some are vastly different. The following are examples of telephone
recordings from places outside the US and Canada.
Files are in MP3
format. Click on each link to listen.
Australia
Number Disconnected or Unavailable (February 2002)
From Cable and Wireless Optus (announcement comes from international
switching center). This announcement is played when somebody from
Australia dials an incorrect or disconnected number when making an
IDD call via Optus (but when calling some odd countries, the
announcement is played by the called country instead). It is also
played if somebody from overseas makes an IDD call to Australia and
the call is passed through Optus (and the exchange of the dialing
customer does not replace the announcement).
Source: Liam Hutton
Number Not In Service (February 2002)
From Telstra (announcement comes from international switching
center). This announcement is played in the same circumstances as
the above announcement.
Source: Liam Hutton
US
Toll Free Number Charged At International Rates (February
2002)
A call to an United States toll-free number via Telstra Australia.
This is a complete recording of an IDD call to a US toll free
number. There are two rather lengthy announcements at the beginning
of the call to notify the customer of the charges, one coming from
Telstra and another coming from AT&T in the USA. The sequence of
what could be described as 'extra fast SIT tones' are standard on
overseas calls to most countries from Telstra.
Source: Liam Hutton
Brunei
Number
Not
In Service (October 1999)
An English language recording.
China
Not
In Service (October 1999)
A Mandarin Chinese recording that says "The number you dialed does
not exist, please check before calling, thank you." The number
dialed was +86-731-123456.
Source: Dennis Wong
China Directory Assistance (October 1999)
Dennis makes a call to China directory assistance. Notice the "on
hold" music and the AUTOMATED response!
Source: Dennis Wong
Number Not In Service (October 1999)
Number not in service recording in Chinese then English.
Source: Dennis Wong
Cote d'Ivoivre (Ivory Coast)
Not
In Service
An English recording with a music background. The number dialed was
+225-111111.
Dominican Republic
Not In Service (April 1998)
Recording from (then) GTE-Codetel, first in
Spanish then in English. The type of telephone swtich was an
Automatic Electric #2EAX (2nd generation electronic switch). Notice on this call to intercept recording
the ringback signal (click RING click). The number dialed was +1 (809) 528-7999.
Not
In Service (July 2005)
A Spanish & English recording with a music background from Verizon
Dominica (formerly Codetel). The number dialed was
+1 (829) 222-2222 (soon this will be the test number for the new 829
overlay).
Not
In Service (August 2005)
A Spanish only recording from Centenial Dominicana.
Source: Mark Cuccia
El Salvador
Not In Service
A Spanish recording. The number you have dialed does not exist.
Thanks. The
number dialed was +503-123456.
French Polynesia
Not
In Service (August 2005)
A French only recording with a music intro. Note the European ring
and reorder. The number dial was +689-555-121.
Germany
Not In Service
A German recording with SIT tones. The number dialed was
+49-69-111111. The announcement here is "Kein Anschluss unter dieser
Nummer" Literally "No connection under this number".
Ghana
Not
In Service
An English not in service recording. The number dialed was
+233-21-111111.
Greece
Not
In Service
This recording is first in Greek, then in English. The number dialed
was +30-841-111111.
Guatemala
Not In Service
This recording is first in Spanish, then in English. The number
dialed was +502-33-995566.
Iran
Iran
#1 (October 1998)
This is an example of what NOT to do when trying to make a
recording. This call is to a step by step switch in Iran. Notice the
pulse dialing of the switch along with the 2400/2600 Hz chirps. The
first one is OK, but the second one (when someone answered the
phone) is "answer supervision" and cost me $6.50 for that call!
OUCH! Don't try this one at home kids!!
Iran
#2 (October 1998)
It appears this is the recording on their international gateway
switch. This recording is first in Iranian then English, with music.
Jordan
Number Not In Service (February 2002)
Female voice, both in Jordanian and English. Recorded from
Australia.
Source: Liam Hutton
Kasachstan
Not In Service
This has a man's voice in Kazah and a woman's voice in Russian. If
translated word for word it says "Number you have
dialed is non-existent." The number dialed was
+7-31-722-111111.
Mexico
Not In Service
(AIS) (November 2004)
An Automated Intercept System (AIS) recording in Spanish. The number
dialed was +52-5533-9999 via Sprint LD in the USA.
Not In Service
(CIS) (November 2004)
A Centralized Intercept System (CIS) recording in Spanish. The
number dialed was +52-5533-9999 via Vartech LD in the USA.
Mongolia
Area Code Change Announcement (February 2002)
Female voice, both in English and Mongolian. The number dialed was
number dialed was +976-1-111-1111. Recorded from Australia.
Source: Liam Hutton
Mosambik
Not In Service
A recording first in English, then Portuguese.
New Zealand
Call
Not Completed (April 1998)
Recording when you cannot complete an international call to New
Zealand. Notice the British style ring and reorder.
(West) Samoa
Number
Disconnected (August 2005)
A centralized intercept recording from SamoaTel in both English and
Samoan. The number dialed was +685-600999.
South Africa
South Africa Area Code Is Invalid (June 1998)
A tri-lingual recording (English, French & German) informing the
caller that they have dialed an invalid area code for South Africa.
Source: Joe Norton
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Thuraya - Call Is Incomplete (November 2003)
Thuraya is a satellite telephone communications service based in
UAE. This recording in English, Arabic and French.
Thuraya - Number Is Not In Use (November 2003)
This recording is in English, Arabic and French.
United Kingdom
International Call Cannot Be Completed (March 1998)
At one time, MCI was routing calls to Afghanistan (country code +93)
via British Telecom in the United Kingdom. If the call made it
outside the US but was deemed invalid when it reached the UK, you
got this recording instructing you to "...dial the International
Operator on 155."
The Number Has Been Changed (March 1998)
Recording from London, England informing of a phone number that has
been changed. Notice it uses the European numbering convention using
zero as the first number.
Uzbekistan
You
Dialed Wrong Order (October 1998)
An English recording, followed by Russian. Uzbekistan used to be a
USSR republic (country code 7). Obviously English is not this lady's
first language.
Main Sounds Index Pages
Modern Telephone Sounds Main Page
Vintage Telephone Sounds Main Page
International Telephone Sounds Main Page
Miscellaneous Telephone Sounds Main Page
Copyright 2008 Telephone World
Page last modified December 20, 2008
Contact us for more information
