Occasionally I see Lync headsets that decide to play dial tone in the users ear while in a call. The normal (somewhat annoying) scenario to have dial tone generated in the ear is when the dial button is pressed on the headset (which also brings the Lync client in to focus), but after the call is made it should be removed. When this doesn't happen it is usually down to the headset, however I have not found a consistent pattern of steps to resolve it. It appears to be something to do with how the headset has paired with the base station. Try the following:
UPDATE: This can also be caused when multiple user accounts are logged in to Windows, both with Lync signed in. Some of the end user complaints of this of this scenario are:
Apparently this issue is known to Microsoft, however to date there is no fix. In situations where computers are shared with multiple users it is best to disable fast user switching; alternatively educate your users to log off when they are done.
Thanks to Iain Smith for pointing me in the right direction, and to Trond Egil Gjelsvik-Bakke and Hemat Kumar Maheshwari for their articles on the the issue.
Can the dial tone be turned off altogether?
The dial tone is actually generated by the Lync client, and can be turned off in Windows Sounds by following these steps.
From Lync got to the settings cog -> "Ringtones and Sounds" -> "Sound Settings":
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Under the Lync category select “Dial Tone”, then change “Sounds” to “(none)”:
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What about other annoying tonnes?
If any of the other tones get on your nerves you can disable them in the same way. One of my favorites is the second incoming call alert. If you wear a headset you will likely hear both the Lync alert and the device alert.
The second incoming call alert can be disabled, but this will not stop any headset generated notifications (normally a short beep in the ear).
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- Remove power from base station and unplug USB
- Power off the headset
- Plug the power back then connect the USB back to the PC
- Power on the headset and re-pair
UPDATE: This can also be caused when multiple user accounts are logged in to Windows, both with Lync signed in. Some of the end user complaints of this of this scenario are:
- I'm getting other peoples calls
- There is dial tone in my ear when in a call
- There is no audio in an A/V Conference and it keeps disconnecting
Apparently this issue is known to Microsoft, however to date there is no fix. In situations where computers are shared with multiple users it is best to disable fast user switching; alternatively educate your users to log off when they are done.
Thanks to Iain Smith for pointing me in the right direction, and to Trond Egil Gjelsvik-Bakke and Hemat Kumar Maheshwari for their articles on the the issue.
The dial tone is actually generated by the Lync client, and can be turned off in Windows Sounds by following these steps.
From Lync got to the settings cog -> "Ringtones and Sounds" -> "Sound Settings":
Under the Lync category select “Dial Tone”, then change “Sounds” to “(none)”:
What about other annoying tonnes?
If any of the other tones get on your nerves you can disable them in the same way. One of my favorites is the second incoming call alert. If you wear a headset you will likely hear both the Lync alert and the device alert.
The second incoming call alert can be disabled, but this will not stop any headset generated notifications (normally a short beep in the ear).
