ATTN: Forum members in Germany

[marlinspike]

Can some forum member in Germany with some sort of recording device make a recording of how a German telephone ringer sounds for me? It's driving me nuts trying to remember what they sound like and I can't find it online. I seem to recall some soldiers stationed over there being on the forum.

[CUEBALL]

No difference than a regular phone here at my house... maybe some German nationals can chime in.

[Ahbizmal]

you mean the way is sounds when you call a german number? Or the way the phone rings?

[marlinspike]

No, I mean the way the phone rings (i.e. not what you hear when you call Germany but what the person in Germany hears). Maybe they've changed this, because I found an episode of the German version of The Office and the phone rang in the background and it sounded the same as an American ringer, but my German professor (who is German and goes back apparently often) and I both distinctly remember they had a very sing-songy ringer.

[Ahbizmal]

I'm still confused...

Ok... I am in eastern europe. they have modeled their phones after germany's phone business.

So if I call a german phone from here. you want to know what I hear? Or... What they hear?

Because... Back in the day... Germans had to rent the phone from Deutche Telecom. so all phones were the same. now... It's pretty much like the US. Buy your own phone.

Most german lines now in germany are modeled after the american lines. Except for the ring. sound that you hear.

[marlinspike]

I want to know what "they" hear in your example. I know on your end you hear like a steady "boooop boooop"

Maybe the ringer I'm thinking of is the old Deutsche Telekom ringer?

[srt8danno]

Come on Richard you need to spice this request up a bit. Not only do you want to know what their ringer sounds like, but what exactly are the Fräuleins in house wearing while listening to the said “ringer”. Remember, college dudes are supposed to have one track minds.

[marlinspike]

I've thought about this some more, and the ringer I'm thinking of can't be the old pre-private phone companies ringer because I've heard it after they privatized phone companies. This really will drive me nuts.

[rickgonz]

Originally Posted by marlinspike

I've thought about this some more, and the ringer I'm thinking of can't be the old pre-private phone companies ringer because I've heard it after they privatized phone companies. This really will drive me nuts.

now you've made me curious. so is it a bell or chime sound? or is it a muted droot droot droot? how many times? was it an ITT phone? what's this called - onomatopeic? spell your sound that you hear in your head I'll go watch some German movies tonight - see if they have it. Like Run Lola or Bandits.

[marlinspike]

Well, that's the thing, I don't remember the sound well enough to hear it in my head, but it didn't sound like the traditional bell sound, but a sound being made by an electronic speaker.
I doubt it was an ITT phone, I would hear it in hotels and restaurants.