On-hold music and the OneMusic licence
Music on hold plays music to people outside your business, over the phone line. In Australia, OneMusic licenses that use for the music it represents. Music from our catalogue comes with a right of use for your greeting. For your own situation, OneMusic is the place to ask.
What OneMusic says
OneMusic Australia runs a Workplace & Telephone On Hold licence. According to OneMusic, it covers music on a business’s external phone system: when a caller first dials in, when reception transfers the call and in after-hours messages.
OneMusic also states that a business using OneMusic’s music for telephone on hold needs a OneMusic licence, even when that music comes from the radio. The fee depends on caller capacity, which OneMusic defines as the number of lines that can play music on hold at the same time. For cloud phone systems, it counts the maximum number of simultaneous users across all locations.
OneMusic’s fee guide adds that the on-hold rate can be reduced by 48% where a licensee does not need a licence for APRA AMCOS works or PPCA sound recordings, for example because it has obtained a licence directly from the copyright holder.
Three situations
Music from our catalogue
It comes with a right of use for the agreed purpose of your greeting on your company’s phone systems and in its business communications, with no time limit. The tracks may not be taken out of the greeting and used separately. Details are in our General Terms and Conditions.
Commercial music or radio
A song you bought or stream is not licensed for your phone system. OneMusic says this use needs its licence, including radio played on hold.
Your own music
If you upload your own jingle or audio bed, you confirm that you hold the rights to it.
Whether you need a OneMusic licence or a reduced rate depends on all the music your business uses, not only on your phone greeting. OneMusic answers that on onemusic.com.au. Tell them the on-hold music comes from our catalogue. Our details are in the imprint.
Choosing music for the phone
Instrumental only
Sung lyrics compete with the voice. Pick a track without vocals.
A calm tempo
Fast, busy music makes the wait feel longer. Piano, guitar and lounge styles sit well on a phone line.
A clean loop
Your system repeats the file. Listen to several loops on your own line before you go live.
Questions
Is the music included in the price?
Yes. Every track in our catalogue is included in the price of the greeting.
Does OneMusic cover after-hours greetings too?
OneMusic lists after-hours messages among the uses its Workplace & Telephone On Hold licence covers. Whether your business needs that licence is a question for OneMusic.