Line #37 Main/PhoneTropes


1	[[quoteright:320:[[Manga/XxxHolic https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/xxxholic_yuuko_elegant.jpg]]]]
2	[-[[caption-width-right:320:These tropes are no excuse for not [[UnlimitedWardrobe dressing]] [[FluffyFashionFeathers up]].]]-]
3
4	->''Hello, hello, baby\
5	You called, I can't hear a thing\
6	I have got no service\
7	In the club, you see, see\
8	Wha-wha-what did you say?\
9	Oh, you're breaking up on me\
10	Sorry, I cannot hear you\
11	I'm kinda busy''
12	-->-- '''Music/LadyGaga''', "Telephone"
13
14
15	Hello, you've reached the index for tropes about telephones and their uses. To see the list of tropes in English, press "1". [[GratuitousSpanish Para continuar en español...]]
16
17	----
18	!!Tropes:
19
20	[[index]]
21	* FiveFiveFive: The tendency for In-Universe phone numbers to use 555 as the exchange code to avoid using the number of a real person and getting them flooded with calls.
22	* AnonymousPublicPhoneCall: A character creates an anonymous phone call with a telephone booth.
23	* BurnerPhones: Criminals using cheap phones, which they then destroy or throw away so that it won't be possible for the authorities to trace their signals.
24	* ButtDialingMordor (doesn't always involve a phone, but can): Accidentally contacting evil via long-range communication.
25	* TheCallsAreComingFromInsideTheHouse: Plot points based upon the old UrbanLegend about a woman who kept getting creepy calls asking how the kids she was babysitting were doing, then was told, "The calls are coming from inside the house" by the police.
26	* CallingOutForNotCalling: When somebody is late, someone else tells them off for not messaging them.
27	* CellPhonesAreUseless: To avoid plot holes, cell phones fail far more than they should.
28	* CompromisingCall: A sub-trope of SoMuchForStealth for when someone accidentally blows someone else's cover by phoning them.
29	* ConfiscatedPhone: Stealing someone's cell phone or snatching a landline or payphone.
30	* CovertEmergencyCall: Calling, or otherwise contacting, emergency services without speaking (or by speaking in code).
31	* CutPhoneLines: Someone cuts the phone lines so that their victim can't phone for help.
32	* CuttingTheElectronicLeash: Defying your superiors by throwing away or destroying your phone.
33	* DiscardedNotDelivered: Deleting a text message rather than sending it.
34	* DisconnectedByDeath: A phone call abruptly ends because one participant died.
35	* DumpedViaTextMessage: Breaking up via text, email, etc.
36	* EmbarrassingRingtone: A character uses an embarrassing song as their ringtone.
37	* EmbarrassingVoicemail: Someone leaves an awkward or humiliating voicemail.
38	* EscapeCall: Someone doesn't want to attend an event, so they have someone phone them and pretend there's an emergency.
39	* EvilPhone: When a supernatural villain phones a character.
40	* FakeStatic: Someone avoids conversation by pretending that their communications equipment isn't working right.
41	* FakeTexting: Pretending to text or check social media to avoid interaction or suspicion.
42	* ForInconveniencePressOne: An automated dialing maze using interactive voice response.
43	* FunnyAnsweringMachine: Answering machines or voicemail messages that highlight a character as quirky.
44	* FunnyPhoneMisunderstanding: A comical misunderstanding happens over the phone.
45	* HarassingPhoneCall: Being contacted by someone who's either a pervert or straight-up evil.
46	* ICanSeeYou: Someone gets a call, thinks the caller is far away, but then the caller reveals that they can see the call-ee, and it's creepy.
47	* IntimateTelecommunications: AudioErotica via the phone lines.
48	* JennysNumber: The phone number "867-5309", as a [[ShoutOut reference]] to a song about a woman named Jenny, who had this number.
49	* KindaBusyHere: Someone answers their phone while they're busy, to tell the caller that it's inconvenient.
50	* LandlineEavesdropping: Using a second handset on a landline to listen in on someone's call.
51	* LostInTransmission: Someone receives important information, but some of it is lost.
52	* MistakenForPrankCall: Someone phones another person for a true, but out-there reason (e.g. "You've won a competition"). The other person thinks it's a prank call.
53	* NewhartPhoneCall: A phone call where we only hear one side of the conversation.
54	* NoTalkingOrPhonesWarning: Before the movie plays at a movie theater, there's a short film warning the audience that they shouldn't talk or have their phones on while the movie is playing.
55	* NoYouHangUpFirst: Two characters, who are usually a couple, playfully argue over who should hang up first.
56	* OnePhoneCall: Someone in the slammer has the right to one phone call.
57	* TheOperatorsMustBeCrazy: Incompetent phone operators.
58	* PhoneaholicTeenager: Teens are constantly glued to their phones.
59	* PhoneBoothChangingRoom: A superhero uses a telephone booth to change from their street clothes into their superhero outfit.
60	* PhoneCallFromTheDead: Someone gets a letter/call/email/whatever from their loved one... except that loved one is dead!
61	* PhoneInDetective: Someone can do detective work over the phone.
62	* PhoneNumberJingle: Using a phone number as a jingle.
63	* PhoneTraceRace: Police set up a phone trace for a criminal and need them to stay on the line for a certain amount of time.
64	* PhoneWord: Phone numbers that spell words.
65	* PhoneyCall: Pretending to be on the phone to someone, when you're not, or you're talking to someone else, or they hung up, or it's really an AI on the other end.
66	* PhoningThePhantom: Phoning a supernatural creature that's invisible/inaudible to certain people.
67	* PocketDial: Accidentally calling someone by sitting down when the phone was in your back pocket (also known as butt dialing).
68	* PopUpTexting: A character is reading their phone, and the words are shown as a pop-up.
69	* PrankCall: Calling people on the telephone to harass them by tricking them into saying something ridiculous.
70	* TheRadioDiesFirst: A radio breaks down to set the plot forward.
71	* RadioSilence: Not transmitting your radio unless you have a very good reason.
72	* ReachingBetweenTheLines: People can send objects or body parts via phone, or make their phones grow eyes, mouths, etc.
73	* ReinventingTheTelephone: When characters use this otherworldly way of communicating, even though it'd be easier to phone them.
74	* RepeatingSoTheAudienceCanHear: Someone talks to a person over the phone and repeats what the other person is saying so the audience knows what they're saying.
75	* RidiculouslyLongPhoneHold: Waiting a ludicrously long time for a phone operator to be available.
76	* RidiculouslyLongPhoneNumber: A phone number that's really long.
77	* RingRingCrunch: Someone is annoyed by their cell phone or alarm clock ringing, so attacks it.
78	* RippedFromThePhoneBook: When someone finds a phone number important to an investigation, they rip out the whole page from the phone book.
79	* RudelyHangingUp: Someone rudely hangs up in the middle of a phone conversation.
80	* ShoePhone: Spy technology disguised as mundane items.
81	* ShortDistancePhoneCall: Two people are talking on the phone, but they're within speaking distance.
82	* SmellPhone: Smells can travel through communication devices.
83	* SplitScreenPhoneCall: During a phone call, a split screen effect is used so we can see both the caller and the person being called at the same time.
84	* StatusCellPhone: Cell phone ownership as a status symbol.
85	* SuddenLackOfSignal: If someone's lost their cell phone signal, that means they're somewhere peculiar.
86	* SuperCellReception: Cell phones work even in places they shouldn't be able to.
87	* SupernaturalPhone: A phone with super tech or magical powers.
88	* SuspiciousMissedMessages: If someone won't answer their phone, they're probably in trouble.
89	* TelecomTree: Phoning allies to help with a situation.
90	* TelephoneSong: A song about phone calls.
91	* TelephoneTeleport: A character can travel via phone.
92	* TiedUpOnThePhone: Someone gets caught in a telephone cord.
93	* TinCanTelephone: Low-tech telecommunications using two cans and a string (or a talking tube).
94	* TVTelephoneEtiquette: A character hangs up the phone without even saying goodbye (unlike Rudely Hanging Up, it ''is'' at the end of the conversation, but it's still impolite).
95	* UselessWithoutCellPhones: A character who becomes dumb without their phone or computer.
96	* VideoPhone: Phones with video screens.
97	* VoicemailConfusion: A character mistakes a voicemail for an actual person.
98	[[/index]]
99
100	----
101	!!See also:
102
103	[[index]]
104	* UsefulNotes/NineHundredNumber: A Useful Notes page for special phone numbers, meant for special services such as fake psychics, or people pretending to be fictional characters.
105	* UsefulNotes/BritishPostalAndTelephoneSystem: A Useful Notes page that includes information on making calls in the UK.
106	* JustForFun/CellPhonesCouldHaveSolvedThisPlot: Classic works that wouldn't have made sense in a world with mobile phones.
107	* UsefulNotes/GoingMobile: A Useful Notes page for issues created by the Mobile Web.
108	* UsefulNotes/NorthAmericanNumberingPlan: A Useful Notes page on making calls in the US and its territories, Canada, and large parts of the Caribbean. By the way, this is where both 555 and the 900 number originated.
109	[[/index]]
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Context Main / PhoneTropes