How Many Seconds is 6 Rings?

In the fast-paced world of contact centres, understanding service levels and response times is crucial.

One common query that arises is how long a phone rings before a call is answered, especially when meeting strict service level agreements (SLAs).

So we wanted to share the answers provided by our Community of industry professionals when Lucy asked for clarity on how many seconds is 6 rings:

“We have a client who is asking for an SLA of calls answered within 6 rings – how many seconds is 6 rings on average?“

In the UK the 6 Rings is 18 Seconds

In the UK the phone ring cycle is 3 seconds 0.4 second on, 0.2 second off, 0.4 second on, 2 seconds off. So 6 rings would be 18 seconds (i.e. before the 7th ring). But if you have to answer before the 6th ring, then it would be 5 x 3 seconds = 15 seconds.

In the USA the phone ring cycle is 6 seconds – 2 seconds on and 4 seconds off.

So in the USA 6 phone rings is 36 seconds.

You also have to define what percentage of calls you want answered in 6 rings as statistically it is almost impossible to answer 100% of calls in 6 rings.

An Erlang calculator should help you with the number of staff needed to reach this service level.

We have a free Erlang calculator you can use today

Converting Seconds to Rings

So I have made this handy conversion table to convert seconds to rings

The standard length of a call is 6 rings. This is 18 seconds in the UK and 36 seconds in the USA.

Contributed by: Jonty

Time Before a Mobile Phone Diverts to Voicemail

For both iPhone and Android devices, the duration a mobile phone rings before diverting to voicemail typically ranges from 15 to 30 seconds. This period can vary based on the device settings, carrier default configurations, and user preferences.

On iPhones, users can often adjust the ring time by contacting their carrier or using specific codes, as there is no direct setting in the device itself for this purpose.

For Android phones, the process may involve dialing certain codes or accessing settings provided by the carrier, though some Android models may offer this option within their settings menu.

Generally, most carriers set a default ring time around 20 seconds, but users can modify this to better manage missed calls and ensure adequate time for answering.

This article was made possible due to the great community of experts we have at Call Centre Helper, to get involved just join our LinkedIn Community and and if you aren’t already make sure you are following us on LinkedIn to see our latest content.

You may also find these articles helpful to read next:

• How to Calculate Contact Centre Service Level
• What is Average Speed of Answer?
• What Is an Acceptable Call Centre Waiting Time?

Author: Jonty Pearce
Reviewed by: Robyn Coppell