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`Humorous' ring-back tones panned by legislator

Some ring-back tones that are meant to be humorous are causing confusion and even shock, National Communications Com-mission (NCC) officials said yesterday, adding that it would persuade telephone companies to stop offering them.

A ring-back tone is the audible sound heard by the calling party while waiting for their call to go through.

Examples of ring-back tones that have caused concern include: "Due to a national security enhancement measure, this phone call will be wiretapped," and "Congratulations! You have just become our lucky customer! From now on every call you make is free of charge however long you talk!"

Citing these messages in a news conference, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Huang Wei-cher (黃偉哲) called on the NCC to consider whether such messages had "gone too far."

"It's not funny," he said, adding that some callers could become scared and confused.

NCC mobile communications section chief Chen Ying-ti agreed with Huang and said the commission would examine ring-back tone services and ask telecommunications operators to stop offering controversial ring-back tones.

In cases where services hamper "public order or good morals," he said that the Telecommunications Act (電信法) permits the authorities to order the company to terminate the offending service.
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