how many times do you let a phone ring before you hang up?

[QueBert]

When calling a business, I have my business line set up to forward to my cell phone. Only problem is it rings 3 times on the main line before my cell starts rining. Usually by the time I answer my cell and press 1 to connect it's already gone to voice mail. I can up the number of rings before it goes to voice mail to whatever I want, and am curious how long any of you guys wait before you hang up from not getting a person or a machine.

 

[lxskllr]

I'd say 6. Maybe more for a business, and possibly less for personal. It depends on a bunch of variables. Six is a good median though.

 

[Leros]

I know businesses can sometimes be pretty busy so it can be hard to run to the phone. I usually give it 10-15 rings.

 

[Rubycon]

Depends!

If someone has the GD freight elevator held up (doors open) a bell will ring when the call button is depressed. I've actually sent messages in morse code using that bell and they know who it is!

Calling most phones - well they have this thing called voice mail that picks up after the fourth or fifth ring. You can tell when it has rolled over by a stutter in the ring. If I have no interest in leaving a message I just hang up before the voice mail greeting plays.

 

[TridenT]

7 at most. Not gonna wait forever!

 

[Possessed Freak]

I have just reactivated my house line after 5 years of without (for DSL only). Evidently, the phone company immediately gives out this number to every known credit card solicitor in the world. I have exactly one phone plugged into the line, an older style 2500 set. On average I hear it ring 5 times before the solicitor hangs up. So I am going with 5.

 

[bignateyk]

If it doesn't go to voice mail i'll just put the handset down and let it ring forever until someone gets annoyed and answers.

 

[highland145]

What's a phone?

 

[Cogman]

Until it hits voice mail.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Usually until i'll wait til it hits voicemail, but it really depends on who I am calling, and what for.

 

[IronWing]

What's a phone?

It an old timey mobile device with no windshield or headlights.

 

[GeekDrew]

4. If it hasn't been answered in 4 rings, then one or more of the following *usually* applies:

The call isn't that important.
The called party is too busy to answer the phone, and letting it ring more wouldn't help.
The called party is too incompetent to answer the phone in a timely manner.
The phone system employed by the called party is poorly designed (accept my call, *then* find the desired party, if needed).

I have "Find Me" enabled on my work phone. If anyone calls my work extension/DID, my phone rings 3 times. If I've not answered by that time, the phone system takes the call back, and asks the caller for his or her name. The caller is informed that the system will attempt to locate me, or that a message can be left immediately by pressing a key while the caller is on hold. The system then starts attempting to find me, following a call list. If the system finds me, and I'm willing to answer the call, I frequently answer on my cell phone. And, if I know that I'm going to be away from my desk, I can press a button to have the system ignore my desk phone, and immediately start finding me. For me, this is a great solution. I only have to publish one number for work, and have one voicemail box for work, and the caller doesn't just listen to endless ringing while it's trying to find me.

 

[meltdown75]

i'm gonna go with five.

 

[Matthiasa]

Every phone I have ever used has had an answering machine or voice mail system with it, limiting the number of rings.
I usually let it hit the machine.

 

[darkxshade]

For personal calls, it depends... I subconsciously have memorized the avg mean rings it takes for my friends to pick up and so depending on who I'm calling I use that.

 

[SlitheryDee]

5.

When the phone rings and I'm doing something I don't want to stop doing for a phone conversation, I'll just let it ring sometimes. It REALLY pisses me off when the person calling rings for more than 10 rings. I think it has been established that I am not there, am too busy to pick up, or don't want to talk by ~5 rings.

When I call someone else I let the phone ring exactly 5 times as a way of returning the favor that no one ever does me.

 

[Matthiasa]

5 rings... your side or theres. Most phones I have used also ring ~2-3 times before it ever rings on their end.
Meaning 2 rings for the person to answer in your case.

And people invest in answering machines, you can even set them up for how many rings you want since you would have to be using a land line as it is.

 

[BoomerD]

Average...6-8.

Any more than that and either they're not home, or don't want to take my call.

Not everyone in the world lives for their phone. If I'm outside working in the yard or having a smoke, I may not bother with the phone, (and unless I was expecting an important call, I never carried my cell phone while working in the yard) and will let it go to voice mail.

If a business doesn't answer in 6-8 rings...fuck them. I'll call someone else.