How does a phone ring if it's off the hook?

Ok the phone rang. Went to answer it. Found the phone was off the hook. How is that possible? No I wasn't the only 1 to hear it ring. My father and the kittens heard it to. No it wasn't a phone ringing on the t.v. the t.v. wasn't on. Sometimes in the Summer when the windows are open, can hear neighbors phones ring, but windows are all shut because of the cold weather. Picked it up said hello anyway, no one was there. Hung the phone back up. I know it's on the hook now.

A figure of speech! but I guess when phones were on the walls and would ring and ring and ring and bounce around on their hook, they would fall off . Or if no one answers the phone, it used to just ring forever......................................

I think that if your phone is off the hook for a long time and you don't notice that awful beeping that keeps getting louder, the phone company can make your phone ring so you'll notice it and hang it up. I'm not guaranteeing that, but I'm pretty sure they can do it.

Originally Posted by meow meow meow

Mine rings all the time when its off the hook.

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Is it a cordless? Corded phones usually don't ring if they're not properly hung up. But cordless phones do.