When the telephone handset or receiver is off the cradle; the circuit is closed (active) and ready to communicate information.
The active state of a customer telephone circuit. The term is derived from old telephone sets where the receiver, when in use, was lifted from a hook attached to a switch. The opposite condition is on-hook.
This refers to an open phone line. The term originated with early phones in plain old telephone service (POTS). The receiver of the telephone (handset) was lifted from a hook (now more commonly called the hookswitch) in order to signal the central office (CO) for an open line.
receiver off its cradle; phone in use
A state when the telephone handset is not in its cradle.
A telephone that has been removed from its cradle, which causes a change in the line's voltage level that a business telephone system or local telephone company can recognize as a request for dial tone.
when the handset is lifted from its cradle, it is off-hook and completes an electrical loop, thus signaling the central office that is wishes dial tone.
The status of the phone when we have lifted the handset
When a modem goes off-hook, it claims the telephone line to which it is connected. Taking a modem off-hook is equivalent to picking up a telephone to make or answer a call.
To make connection with the public switched telephone network in preparing to dial a telephone number.
Activated (in regards to a telephone set). A telephone in use is considered off-hook. Contrast with on-hook.
Activated (in regard to a telephone set). By extension, a data set automatically answering on a public switched system is said to go off-hook. Contrast with on-hook.
The state of a telephone line that allows dialling and transmission but prohibits incoming calls from being answered.
A change in line voltage caused when the receiver or handset is lifted from the hookswitch. A traditional PBX or local telephone company recognizes this line voltage change as a request for dial tone.
When the handset is lifted from its cradle, it's off-hook. The term originated when the early handsets were actually suspended from a metal hook on the phone. In modern phones, when the handset is removed from its hook or cradle, it completes the electrical loop, thus signaling the central office to provide dial tone.
In telephony, the condition that exists when an operational telephone instrument or other user instrument is in use, i.e., during dialing or communicating.
The status of a telephone that is working but is not available to receive a call.
When the handset is lifted from its cradle. Alerts the CO (or PBX) that it is ready (usually ready to receive a dial tone).
Lifting the handset off the cradle creates an off-hook condition, This completes the electrical loop signaling the central office for dial tone.
The condition of a telephone line that corresponds to picking up the telephone receiver. A modem creates an off-hook condition when it tries to communicate on a telephone line.
The state of a telephone station when the conductor loop between the station and the switch is closed and current is flowing. When a telephone handset is lifted from its cradle (or equivalent condition), the telephone line state is said to be off-hook.
Connected to the switched telephone network. For example, a telephone is considered off-hook when the receiver is picked up. Close Glossary Window
A signal indicating that the telephone of the called party is engaged.
A state that results when you lift a telephone receiver, producing a busy signal.
A state in which a telephone set is in use (that is, the handset is removed from its cradle).
A telephone set in use - the handset is removed from its cradle, thus sending an electrical signal to the central office that a circuit needs to be opened.
