WaitForTone()

Since 16.21.0, 18.7.0 Applications Found this useful? Upvote it. ×

Wait for tone

Last reviewed 2026-04-14

WaitForTone(freq[,duration_ms,timeout,times,options])
Dialplan Builder -- build your WaitForTone() command
Frequency of the tone to wait for.
Minimum duration of tone, in ms. Default is 500ms. Using a minimum duration under 50ms is unlikely to produce accurate results.
Maximum amount of time, in seconds, to wait for specified tone. Default is forever.
Number of times the tone should be detected (subject to the provided timeout) before returning. Default is 1.
Custom decibel threshold to use. Default is 16.
Squelch tone.
Full arguments reference
  • freq required - Frequency of the tone to wait for.
  • duration_ms - Minimum duration of tone, in ms. Default is 500ms. Using a minimum duration under 50ms is unlikely to produce accurate results.
  • timeout - Maximum amount of time, in seconds, to wait for specified tone. Default is forever.
  • times - Number of times the tone should be detected (subject to the provided timeout) before returning. Default is 1.
  • options
    • d - Custom decibel threshold to use. Default is 16.
    • s - Squelch tone.
Description

Waits for a single-frequency tone to be detected before dialplan execution continues.

  • WAITFORTONESTATUS - This indicates the result of the wait.
    • SUCCESS
    • ERROR
    • TIMEOUT
    • HANGUP
Arguments
  • freq required - Frequency of the tone to wait for.
  • duration_ms - Minimum duration of tone, in ms. Default is 500ms. Using a minimum duration under 50ms is unlikely to produce accurate results.
  • timeout - Maximum amount of time, in seconds, to wait for specified tone. Default is forever.
  • times - Number of times the tone should be detected (subject to the provided timeout) before returning. Default is 1.
  • options
    • d - Custom decibel threshold to use. Default is 16.
    • s - Squelch tone.
User Notes

Know a tip or gotcha for this topic? Share it below and help others.

Contribute a note

Share a tip, gotcha, or practical example. Keep it under 2000 characters. No questions (use the Asterisk community forums for support). Wrap code in backticks.

Moderated before publishing. Email never shown.

Related

If()

Start an if branch.

Applications application dialplan
Zapateller()

Generates special information tone to block telemarketers from calling you. This application will set the following chan...

Applications application dialplan
While()

Start a while loop.

Applications application dialplan
WaitUntil()

Wait (sleep) until the current time is the given epoch.

Applications application dialplan
WaitForSilence()

Waits for up to silencerequired milliseconds of silence, iterations times. An optional timeout specified the number of s...

Applications application dialplan
Applications
ConfBridge() MusicOnHold() StartMusicOnHold() StopMixMonitor() ADSIProg() AELSub() AGI() AMD() AddQueueMember() AgentLogin() AgentRequest() AlarmReceiver() Answer() AttendedTransfer() AudioSocket() Authenticate() Background() BackgroundDetect() BlindTransfer() Bridge() BridgeAdd() BridgeWait() Broadcast() Busy() CELGenUserEvent() CallCompletionCancel() CallCompletionRequest() ChanIsAvail() ChanSpy() ChangeMonitor() ChannelRedirect() ClearHash() ConfKick() Congestion() ContinueWhile() ControlPlayback() DAHDIAcceptR2Call() DAHDIRAS() DAHDIScan() DAHDISendCallreroutingFacility() DAHDISendKeypadFacility() DBdeltree() DISA() DateTime() DeadAGI() Dial() Dictate() Directory() DumpChan() EAGI() Echo() Else() ElseIf() EndIf() EndWhile() Exec() ExecIf() ExecIfTime() ExitIf() ExitWhile() ExtenSpy() ExternalIVR() Festival() Flash() FollowMe() ForkCDR() GetCPEID() Gosub() GosubIf() Goto() GotoIf() GotoIfTime() Hangup() HangupCauseClear() IAX2Provision() ICES() IVRDemo() If() ImportVar() Incomplete() JACK() JabberJoin() JabberLeave() JabberSend() JabberSendGroup() JabberStatus() Log() MP3Player() MSet() Macro() MacroExclusive() MacroExit() MacroIf() MailboxExists() MeetMe() MeetMeAdmin() MeetMeChannelAdmin() MeetMeCount() MessageSend() Milliwatt() MinivmAccMess() MinivmDelete() MinivmGreet() MinivmMWI() MinivmNotify() MinivmRecord() MixMonitor() Monitor() Morsecode() NBScat() NoCDR() NoOp() ODBCFinish() ODBC_Commit() ODBC_Rollback() OSPAuth() OSPFinish() OSPLookup() OSPNext() Originate() PJSIPHangup() PJSIPNotify() Page() Park() ParkAndAnnounce() ParkedCall() PauseMonitor() PauseQueueMember() Pickup() PickupChan() PlayTones() Playback() PrivacyManager() Proceeding() Progress() Queue() QueueLog() QueueUpdate() RaiseException() Read() ReadExten() ReceiveFAX() ReceiveMF() ReceiveSF() ReceiveText() Record() Reload() RemoveQueueMember() ResetCDR() RetryDial() Return() Ringing() SIPAddHeader() SIPDtmfMode() SIPRemoveHeader() SIPSendCustomINFO() SLAStation() SLATrunk() SMS() SayAlpha() SayAlphaCase() SayCountedAdj() SayCountedNoun() SayDigits() SayMoney() SayNumber() SayOrdinal() SayPhonetic() SayUnixTime() SendDTMF() SendFAX() SendImage() SendMF() SendSF() SendText() SendURL() Set() SetAMAFlags() Signal() SkelGuessNumber() SoftHangup() SpeechActivateGrammar() SpeechBackground() SpeechCreate() SpeechDeactivateGrammar() SpeechDestroy() SpeechLoadGrammar() SpeechProcessingSound() SpeechStart() SpeechUnloadGrammar() StackPop() Stasis() StatsD() StopMonitor() StopMusicOnHold() StopPlayTones() StoreDTMF() StreamEcho() System() TestClient() TestServer() ToneScan() Transfer() TryExec() TrySystem() UnpauseMonitor() UnpauseQueueMember() UserEvent() VMAuthenticate() VMSayName() Verbose() VoiceMail() VoiceMailMain() VoiceMailPlayMsg() Wait() WaitDigit() WaitExten() WaitForCondition() WaitForNoise() WaitForRing() WaitForSignal() WaitForSilence() WaitForTone() WaitUntil() While() Zapateller()
Applications
ConfBridge() MusicOnHold() StartMusicOnHold() StopMixMonitor() ADSIProg() AELSub() AGI() AMD() AddQueueMember() AgentLogin() AgentRequest() AlarmReceiver() Answer() AttendedTransfer() AudioSocket() Authenticate() Background() BackgroundDetect() BlindTransfer() Bridge() BridgeAdd() BridgeWait() Broadcast() Busy() CELGenUserEvent() CallCompletionCancel() CallCompletionRequest() ChanIsAvail() ChanSpy() ChangeMonitor() ChannelRedirect() ClearHash() ConfKick() Congestion() ContinueWhile() ControlPlayback() DAHDIAcceptR2Call() DAHDIRAS() DAHDIScan() DAHDISendCallreroutingFacility() DAHDISendKeypadFacility() DBdeltree() DISA() DateTime() DeadAGI() Dial() Dictate() Directory() DumpChan() EAGI() Echo() Else() ElseIf() EndIf() EndWhile() Exec() ExecIf() ExecIfTime() ExitIf() ExitWhile() ExtenSpy() ExternalIVR() Festival() Flash() FollowMe() ForkCDR() GetCPEID() Gosub() GosubIf() Goto() GotoIf() GotoIfTime() Hangup() HangupCauseClear() IAX2Provision() ICES() IVRDemo() If() ImportVar() Incomplete() JACK() JabberJoin() JabberLeave() JabberSend() JabberSendGroup() JabberStatus() Log() MP3Player() MSet() Macro() MacroExclusive() MacroExit() MacroIf() MailboxExists() MeetMe() MeetMeAdmin() MeetMeChannelAdmin() MeetMeCount() MessageSend() Milliwatt() MinivmAccMess() MinivmDelete() MinivmGreet() MinivmMWI() MinivmNotify() MinivmRecord() MixMonitor() Monitor() Morsecode() NBScat() NoCDR() NoOp() ODBCFinish() ODBC_Commit() ODBC_Rollback() OSPAuth() OSPFinish() OSPLookup() OSPNext() Originate() PJSIPHangup() PJSIPNotify() Page() Park() ParkAndAnnounce() ParkedCall() PauseMonitor() PauseQueueMember() Pickup() PickupChan() PlayTones() Playback() PrivacyManager() Proceeding() Progress() Queue() QueueLog() QueueUpdate() RaiseException() Read() ReadExten() ReceiveFAX() ReceiveMF() ReceiveSF() ReceiveText() Record() Reload() RemoveQueueMember() ResetCDR() RetryDial() Return() Ringing() SIPAddHeader() SIPDtmfMode() SIPRemoveHeader() SIPSendCustomINFO() SLAStation() SLATrunk() SMS() SayAlpha() SayAlphaCase() SayCountedAdj() SayCountedNoun() SayDigits() SayMoney() SayNumber() SayOrdinal() SayPhonetic() SayUnixTime() SendDTMF() SendFAX() SendImage() SendMF() SendSF() SendText() SendURL() Set() SetAMAFlags() Signal() SkelGuessNumber() SoftHangup() SpeechActivateGrammar() SpeechBackground() SpeechCreate() SpeechDeactivateGrammar() SpeechDestroy() SpeechLoadGrammar() SpeechProcessingSound() SpeechStart() SpeechUnloadGrammar() StackPop() Stasis() StatsD() StopMonitor() StopMusicOnHold() StopPlayTones() StoreDTMF() StreamEcho() System() TestClient() TestServer() ToneScan() Transfer() TryExec() TrySystem() UnpauseMonitor() UnpauseQueueMember() UserEvent() VMAuthenticate() VMSayName() Verbose() VoiceMail() VoiceMailMain() VoiceMailPlayMsg() Wait() WaitDigit() WaitExten() WaitForCondition() WaitForNoise() WaitForRing() WaitForSignal() WaitForSilence() WaitForTone() WaitUntil() While() Zapateller()