Technology of Music-on-hold has been around so long that it has almost become a given that when you place your callers on hold they should hear something other than silence, it gives the caller the sense that they haven't been disconnected while they wait. Numerous businesses have Music on Hold as it's easy to add to many telephone systems, just plug a music source to the jack marked music. It is quite unbelievable that many of the common sources that are plugged into that jack are not legal to use. As the technician installed your system, he may have asked you if you wanted Music on Hold. We may not have even thought about it until the question was asked. Always the usual response is 'Yes, that's a good idea', while being simple to add, the legal aspects are far from simple and need to be considered at this point. Most of the technicians and sales persons aren't aware of the legal issues involved. All just try to satisfy their clients and the next thing you know you are asked what radio station you want to play. Even the radio stations are not legal to be put on Music on Hold systems as there are copyright issues involved. They just have the right to broadcast the music, but not the rebroadcast rights. As you put music from a radio onto your telephone system you are re-broadcasting the station.

These radio stations and on-air talent have the rights of rebroadcast and unless you have gotten permission from them it too can't be used. Following common source is to use digital music, a CD or MP3. It is just as illegal as the radio station for many of the same reasons. Only you may be saying, I purchased the CD can't I use it as I please? As you purchased the CD, you only own a copy of the CD not the rights to the music on it. But you do have are called private performance rights, when you put the music onto your on hold system this is classified as a Public Performance. Lyric writers, composers and publishers under the copyright laws have exclusive right of public performance and any public performance requires permission. We can purchase those rights as there are many music industry organizations where you can go to purchase rights for Music to be put on hold. After paying a fee you can use music that these organization license for rebroadcast. All copyright laws cover music rights and many times they can be confusing. All information about music rights not only applies to Music on Hold, but also if you use background music in the office through a centralized system.