Distinctive Ring is a function of your Brother machine that allows a person with one line to receive fax and voice calls through two different phone numbers on that one line.

Brother uses the term "Distinctive Ring" to describe this service, but telephone companies market the service under a variety of names, such as Custom Ringing, Personalized Ring, Smart Ring, Ring Master, Ident-a-Ring, Ident-a-Call, Data Ident-A-Call, Teen Ring, SimpleBiz Fax & Alternate Number Ringing, FaxAbility, and BT Call Sign. This service establishes a second telephone number on the same line as your existing telephone number, and each number has its own ring pattern. Typically, the original number rings with the standard ring pattern and is used for receiving voice calls, and the second number rings with a different ring pattern and is used for receiving faxes.

Once you have subscribed to the local telephone company for this service, your Brother machine will then need to be programmed to recognize the ring pattern assigned to the fax number.

Before programming your Brother machine, verify the telephone company has activated the distinctive ring number. Once the distinctive ring is programmed in your Brother machine, the unit will recognize a fax call through the selected ring pattern within 2 cycles of ringing and will automatically answer with a fax tone. When the voice line is called, your Brother machine will recognize the voice line ring pattern and will not interrupt the call.

Before you choose the ring pattern to program

You can only program one Distinctive Ring pattern with the machine. Some ring patterns cannot be programmed. The ring patterns below are supported by your Brother machine. Program the one your telephone company gives you.

• Long-Long (this ring pattern is often called "Short-Short" by phone companies)
• Short-Long-Short
• Short-Short-Long
• Very Long (this is the standard telephone ring pattern)

Programming the Distinctive Ring pattern
To program your Brother machine to receive faxes using a Distinctive Ring number, please follow the steps listed below:

1. Press (Settings).
2. Press All Settings.
3. Press the Up or Down arrow key to display Fax.
4. Press Fax.
5. Press the Up or Down arrow key to display Miscellaneous.
6. Press Miscellaneous.
7. Press Distinctive or BT Call Sign or Fax Ability.
8. Do one of the following:
   • If you press Distinctive,
     1. Press Distinctive.
     2. Press On.
     3. Press Ring pattern. If it is not displayed, go to Step 9.
     4. Press the stored ring pattern you want to use.
        
        You will hear each ring pattern as you press its number. Make sure you choose the pattern that the telephone company gave you. Please note that you can only select one of these ring patterns at a time. If the ring pattern assigned by your telephone company is not found, call your telephone company and request that they assign one of the selectable ring patterns.
         
     5. Press OK.
   • If you press BT Call sign, press On.
   • If you press Fax Ability,
     1. Press On.
     2. Press Call Waiting.
     3. Press On.
9. Press (Home). Distinctive Ring is now set to On.

Turning Off Distinctive Ring

If you currently have the Distinctive Ring feature enabled on your machine and you wish to turn it off, follow these steps:

1. Press (Settings).
2. Press All Settings.
3. Press the Up or Down arrow key to display Fax.
4. Press Fax.
5. Press the Up or Down arrow key to display Miscellaneous.
6. Press Distinctive or BT Call Sign or Fax Ability.
7. Do one of the following:
   1. If you press Distinctive, press Distinctive => Off.
   2. If you press BT Call sign or Fax Ability, press Off.
8. Press Off.
9. Press (Home).