Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios
Telephone On Hold, operated by Professional Audio Studios since 1974, produces custom on-hold audio messaging, voice recordings, and supporting hardware for SMBs across healthcare, veterinary, HVAC, restaurant, beauty, and call center verticals throughout the US and select international markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios does
Telephone On Hold, operated by Professional Audio Studios (a division of Professional Audio, established 1974), is a privately held US audio production company that creates customized telephone on-hold messaging programs for small and mid-sized businesses. Its core service combines custom in-house scriptwriting, professional voice talent recording, and licensed background music production, delivered as MP3 or WAV files compatible with analog phone systems, VoIP, and cloud-based platforms (8x8, RingCentral, Vonage, Nextiva, Ooma, Zoom Phone, Mitel, Avaya IP Office, among others). The company distributes third-party hardware including the Messager USB player (Nel-Tech Labs), ProDigital USB40/USB50 units, and Skutch Electronics compatibility adapters, bundled into its recurring Signature Plans subscription tiers (2, 4, 6, or 12+ program updates annually).
The business operates three in-house production studios enabling approximately one-week initial turnaround and 24–48 hour change turnaround, and sells through direct sales (toll-free phone, website quote requests), a telecom reseller partnership program bundling audio with Avaya/NEC/ESI/ShoreTel/Cisco phone system sales, and industry trade shows (ADA, Greater New York Dental Meeting, Yankee Dental Congress, Atlantic Coast Veterinary Convention, international franchise events). Its customer base spans dental, veterinary, HVAC/plumbing, day spa/beauty, restaurant, call center, and other SMB verticals across all 50 US states, Canada, the Caribbean, Puerto Rico, and South America.
The company is family-owned with no external venture or private equity funding disclosed, holds board positions in the On Hold Messaging Association and Experience Marketing Association, and in 2024 announced it had joined the OnHold.com family while continuing to operate under the Professional Audio Studios parent entity. Revenue streams include subscription plans, hardware sales, professional audio recording services, and a $100 AMEX gift-card referral program.
Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios
- Legal name
- Professional Audio Studios
- Website
- https://telephoneonhold.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Telephone On Hold, operated by Professional Audio Studios since 1974, produces custom on-hold audio messaging, voice recordings, and supporting hardware for SMBs across healthcare, veterinary, HVAC, restaurant, beauty, and call center verticals throughout the US and select international markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios industry classification
Industry- Product category
- On-Hold Messaging and Telephone Audio Production Services
- NAICS
- Sound Recording Studios (51224)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Recording Studios (Commercial, Project, Mobile) (MPAIAHAA)
Keywords
Where Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Signature On-Hold Plans: Subscription-based plans providing complete on-hold marketing solutions including equipment, scriptwriting, voice talent, music royalties, licensing, and regular program updates. Plans offered with 2, 4, 6, 12 or more updates per year. Clients can upgrade or downgrade at any time. Equipment (MOH players/adapters) included as part of the plan.
- Music On Hold Equipment Sales: Sale of MOH players (Messager USB by Nel-Tech Labs, ProDigital USB40/USB50), adapters (Skutch Electronics BA/CK/EX/AS series), and accessories. Equipment sold to customers who need hardware to enable music on hold on their phone systems.
- Professional Audio Recording Services: Custom audio recording including auto-attendant greetings, voicemail recordings, voice prompts, and IVR narration for phone systems. Also includes VoIP recordings and audio branding for telecom equipment resellers.
- Referral Program Commission: $100 AMEX gift card earned for each successful business referral that hires the company. Customers and partners incentivized to refer new business.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Signature 2 Plan - 2 updates per year |
| Subscription | Annual | Signature 4 Plan - 4 updates per year (most popular) |
| Subscription | Annual | Signature 6 Plan - 6 updates per year |
| Subscription | Annual | Signature 12 Plan - monthly updates |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Telephone On Hold produces customized music-on-hold messaging programs for business telephone systems, combining professional voice talent, custom scriptwriting (in-house ScriptLab team, ~900-word scripts), and licensed background music recorded across three in-house production studios. The company also supplies and supports on-hold playback hardware (Messager USB, ProDigital players, Skutch adapters) and provides VoIP/auto-attendant/voicemail voice recordings formatted for major phone platforms. Subscription-style Signature Plans bundle equipment, scripting, voice talent, music royalties, licensing, and recurring program updates.
Product overview
Telephone On Hold, operated by Professional Audio Studios (a division of Professional Audio, established since 1974), is a music on-hold messaging company providing customized on-hold audio solutions for telephone systems. The core offering consists of Music On Hold Messages and Music On Hold Solutions services, which include custom scriptwriting by an in-house team, professional voice talent recording in one of three in-house production studios, licensed background music, and equipment such as the Messager USB Music On Hold Player. Signature Plans offer bundled packages with equipment, scriptwriting, voice talent, music royalties, and regular program updates (2, 4, 6, or 12+ updates annually). The company also provides industry-specific solutions for dental practices, veterinary clinics, HVAC/plumbing businesses, beauty salons/spas, restaurants, and call centers, as well as a Telecom Partnership Program for telecom resellers. Audio content is delivered via USB flash drives or directly to VoIP/cloud-based phone systems in MP3 or WAV formats. The company holds memberships in both the On Hold Messaging Association and Experience Marketing Association.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Music On Hold Messages Customized on-hold messaging programs combining professional voice recordings with licensed background music for telephone systems. Sold primarily to SMBs across multiple verticals (healthcare, dental, veterinary, HVAC, restaurant, beauty, call centers) and to telecom resellers bundling audio with phone system sales.
- Music On Hold Solutions Complete on-hold audio solutions package including equipment, scriptwriting, voice talent, music royalties, licensing, and ongoing program updates for customers who want a turnkey deployment.
- VoIP Recordings Audio recordings specifically formatted for VoIP and cloud-based phone systems including 8x8, RingCentral, Vonage, Nextiva, Ooma, Comcast Business VoiceEdge, Weave, Dialpad, Zoom Phone, Mitel, and Avaya IP Office.
- Voicemail Recordings for Phone Systems Custom voicemail greetings, announcements, and voice prompts for business phone systems.
- Messager USB Music On Hold Player Digital audio playback device by Nel-Tech Labs / Pica Product Development. Plays MP3 or WAV files from USB flash drives (16MB and larger) for message-on-hold or background music applications. Supports playback up to 128Kbps MP3 and 16-bit PCM WAV, with built-in monitor speaker, LED status indicator, optional Sonocrypt encryption, and 5-year warranty. Designed and manufactured in the USA.
- ProDigital Music On Hold Players USB-based music on hold players by ProDigital Manufacturing (USB40 and USB50 models) distributed and supported by Telephone On Hold.
- Music On Hold Adapters Compatibility adapters manufactured by Skutch Electronics (BA-704, BA-704-2, CK series, EX-704 series, AS series adapters, EX-7 booster amp) enabling music-on-hold capability for analog phones and various phone system configurations including AT&T, Nortel, Panasonic, and others.
- Signature Plans Subscription packages bundling equipment, scriptwriting, voice talent, music royalties, licensing, and ongoing on-hold marketing program updates. Offered at 2, 4, 6, or 12+ program updates per year on annual billing cadence, with ability to upgrade or downgrade at any time.
- Dental On Hold Industry-specialized on-hold messaging solutions for dental practices, including patient education content, calming anxious patients, promoting services, reducing no-shows, and increasing referrals. Promoted at ADA Meeting, Greater New York Dental Meeting, and Yankee Dental Congress.
- Veterinary On Hold Specialized on-hold messaging for veterinary clinics, hospitals, and grooming centers. Promoted at the Atlantic Coast Veterinary Convention.
- HVAC On Hold On-hold messaging for HVAC and plumbing service companies promoting maintenance plans, NATE-certified technicians, service offerings, and seasonal promotions.
- Beauty On-Hold Profit Solution Specialized on-hold messaging for day spas, beauty salons, med spas, and wellness centers promoting packages, gift cards, seasonal skin care tips, and services.
- Restaurant On Hold On-hold messaging for restaurants, pizzerias, quick-serve locations, fine dining, and take-out/reservation businesses promoting menu items, catering, delivery, and seasonal specials.
- Call Center Prompts & Music On Hold Professionally recorded voice prompts, IVR narration, and on-hold marketing for large-volume call centers handling reservations, billing, customer service, and order processing for hotel chains, airlines, medical, and warranty operations.
- Telecom Partnership Program Audio solutions package for telecom resellers (Avaya, NEC, ESI, ShoreTel, Cisco, and VoIP platforms) bundling auto-attendant, music on hold, voicemail, and voice prompt recordings with phone system sales and installations. Telecom partners receive discount pricing.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 70% of callers to businesses like restaurants, day spas, and veterinary offices are placed on hold - creating a significant captive marketing opportunity.
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature5 records
Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- OnHold.comcoreTelephone On Hold is now part of the OnHold.com family. OnHold.com is described as 'Big news' on the homepage. The company operates as part of the OnHold.com network, redirecting traffic and branding under this parent entity. Website footer references OnHold.com as America's Music On Hold Messaging Experts.
- Professional Audio StudioscoreProfessional Audio Studios is the parent company and operating entity of TelephoneOnHold.com. Professional Audio Studios (a division of Professional Audio) has been recognized as a leader in forensic audio processing since 1974. National recognition in print and broadcast media and by all federal investigative law enforcement agencies.
- Nel-Tech Labs / Pica Product DevelopmentcoreManufacturers of the Messager USB and Messager USBi Music On Hold Players sold and supported by Telephone On Hold. The Messager USB is described as a state-of-the-art digital audio playback device. Telephone On Hold provides full support and warranty for these players.
- On Hold Messaging Association (OHMA)coreInternational organization of on-hold marketing agencies. Telephone On Hold (represented by Justin Ginsberg) has been elected to the board of directors numerous times. Active participant in conferences, fundraising, and conference agenda development. Speaks at international franchise shows and conferences about on-hold messaging best practices.
- Experience Marketing Association (EMA)coreInternational organization of on-hold marketing agencies, scent agencies, and sight marketers. Advances business community awareness of experience marketing, maintains service standards, shares ideas and technologies, and promotes ethical business conduct. Telephone On Hold actively participates in conferences and fundraising efforts.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights1 record
Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Soundstripe: Subscription music licensing platform providing royalty-free background music for commercial use. Adjacent service that overlaps Telephone On Hold's music-licensing step and could enable customers to self-source hold music.
- Voice123: Online voice talent marketplace where businesses source professional voice-over actors — an adjacent enabling service that overlaps with Telephone On Hold's voice talent component and could substitute for in-house ScriptLab/talent sourcing.
Direct peers
- Holdcom: Long-standing direct competitor in the on-hold messaging category, offering custom voice and music productions, equipment sales, and industry-specific packages for SMBs across healthcare, hospitality, and retail — closely mirroring Telephone On Hold's offering.
- Easy On Hold: Direct competitor providing custom on-hold messaging, IVR/auto-attendant recordings, and MOH player equipment for SMBs. Comparable subscription and one-time purchase model with similar vertical specialization.
- OnHold.com: Parent/sibling brand under which Telephone On Hold now operates. OnHold.com sells custom on-hold messaging, voice prompts, and phone audio branding to SMBs — directly overlapping product, customer base, and distribution model.
- Phone On Hold Marketing: Competitor offering custom on-hold messaging, voice talent, music licensing, and MOH player distribution. Same core service mix and SMB-targeted go-to-market.
- Prerecorded On Hold Messages: Specialty provider of pre-recorded on-hold content and custom voice productions for SMBs. Overlaps Telephone On Hold on the audio-production and equipment side of the business.
- Captive Communications: Specialist in on-hold messaging and telephone audio production, serving SMB and mid-market clients with custom voice/music programs and equipment — directly comparable service catalog to Telephone On Hold.
Emerging players
- ElevenLabs: AI voice generation platform producing realistic synthetic speech in many languages. Emerging threat and potential cost-down substitute for human voice talent in custom on-hold, IVR, and auto-attendant recordings.
Broad incumbents
- RingCentral: Major cloud-based business phone system provider that bundles hold-music and basic IVR features. A broad incumbent that overlaps Telephone On Hold's VoIP audio formatting service and could internalize the value proposition over time.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios social profiles
Digital presenceTelephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios
What does Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios do?
Telephone On Hold produces customized music-on-hold messaging programs for business telephone systems, combining professional voice talent, custom scriptwriting (in-house ScriptLab team, ~900-word scripts), and licensed background music recorded across three in-house production studios. The company also supplies and supports on-hold playback hardware (Messager USB, ProDigital players, Skutch adapters) and provides VoIP/auto-attendant/voicemail voice recordings formatted for major phone platforms. Subscription-style Signature Plans bundle equipment, scripting, voice talent, music royalties, licensing, and recurring program updates.
Is Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios a public or private company?
Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios founded?
Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios was founded in 1974.
Where is Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios based?
Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Signature On-Hold Plans are the primary driver. The others are music On Hold Equipment Sales, professional Audio Recording Services and referral Program Commission.
Who are Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios's main competitors?
Others on record are Soundstripe and Voice123. Direct peers are Holdcom, Easy On Hold, OnHold.com, Phone On Hold Marketing, Prerecorded On Hold Messages and Captive Communications. ElevenLabs is listed as an emerging player. RingCentral is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios have an API?
No public API is recorded for Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios.
What industry is Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios in?
Telephone On Hold - Professional Audio Studios's product category is On-Hold Messaging and Telephone Audio Production Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAIAHAA, Recording Studios (Commercial, Project, Mobile). Its NAICS code is 51224.