Music On Hold Adapter
A music on hold adapter is what enables a small office or home office to use music on hold or music and messages on hold on their standard phones. Because standard phones do not have a phone system on hold music input or capability built-in, they need separate hardware to create the music on hold feature. Skutch and Invotel are the two most common music on hold adapter providers, and you can find them linked directly from our music on hold device manufacturers page. One of the Skutch music on hold adapter devices is shown in the image to the right.
How To Know If You Need A Music On Hold Adapter:
- Do your phones connect to a central box that serves as the hub of your phone system? If so, you most likely do not need a music on hold adapter. Instead see our page on phone system on hold music.
- Can your phone be used in a home environment (plugged into standard phone jacks)? If so, you most likely do need a music on hold adapter.
- Were your phones purchased from a consumer electronics or office supply retail store? If so, you most likely do need a music on hold adapter.
- When you place callers on hold now, do they hear the radio or any music on hold content? If so, you definitely do not need a music on hold adapter. Instead see our page detailing the music on hold player.
Music On Hold Adapter Types:
- Music On Hold Adapters That Use The Phone’s Built-In Hold Button – Using this type of adapter means that, ideally, the adapter makes your standard phones function just as a PBX phone system would. You simply hit hold, switch lines or hang up the phone, and the caller is then hearing your on-hold content until someone picks up that line again. We think this is ideal, with one caveat: these types of music on hold adapters do not work on all types of phones. Phones without a hold button on them can resent a problem, as can certain specific brands and models that simply are not compatible with a particular music on hold adapter. Compatibility varies from adapter to adapter, so make sure there is a good return policy in place from whoever you purchase your adapter from.
- Music On Hold Adapters That Use Key Presses To Activate The Hold Feature – This type of music on hold adapter requires that the user press a key on the keypad of the phone to “turn on” the music on hold feature (usually “**” or “##” or “flash”). Like the versions that just use the hold button to activate, this type of music on hold adapter also has some pros and cons. One positive is that it is generally compatible with just about any standard phone. While occasional compatibility issues may remain with particular phones, this setup is much more compatible than the hold button only version above. Two major downsides also exist. One, is that your callers will hear you pressing the keys before your music on hold productions are heard. Two, is that you and your phone users will need to remember to press those keys (usually instead of depressing the hold button). If it is just you, that may not present a problem, but multiple people use the phone in your office, compliance may present a problem.
Generally speaking, if you can avoid having to use a music on hold adapter (typically through phone system on hold music), we consider that the best option. Music on hold adapters are usually $100-$200, but some can cost as much as $400. Plus you will still need to purchase a standard music on hold player to plug into the music on hold adapter. However, if you do not want to upgrade from standard phones to a PBX phone system, then a music on hold adapter can help you get up and running with music and messages on hold.
A word of caution about beeping on hold. Some brands and models of small office phones that can be purchased from office supply and consumer electronics stores feature a beeping sound when callers are put on hold. To test this, call into your own phone and put yourself on hold for a minute or so. If you hear a beep (usually every 10-30 seconds), then unfortunately your current phones are not recommended for any type of music on hold. Because the beeping on hold is built into the phone by the manufacturer, there is no way to disable this, even with a music on hold adapter. While beeping on hold is slightly better than silence on hold (since callers know they have not been disconnected), most callers would find music on hold interrupted regularly by beeping to be annoying and unprofessional. If you use a phone with built in beeping, we would ideally recommend upgrading to phone system on hold music, or getting new phones without beeping that will work with a music on hold adapter.
Still have more music on hold questions not covered on our site? Visit our “Ask The Music On Hold Expert” page and post your question online!
