The mobile operator is stressing the importance of voice communication, which – unlike text messaging – can often help avoid misunderstandings. However, how you make those calls matters: your phone habits can reveal more about you than you might think. We are all familiar with certain types of people. In fact, we may well be among them ourselves. According to etiquette expert Ibolya Görög, if you recognise your own telephone habits, you can more easily avoid those little daily discourtesies that may unintentionally cause frustration to those around you. Meet the 5 most common caller types.
- The Marathon Talker: for them, a phone call is never just about exchanging information – it’s a way of life. They can easily chat for an hour or more. According to the expert, it’s worth remembering that long conversations also take up the other person’s time. If you guess that a call may take a while, it’s polite to check first whether it’s a good time for the other person to talk. A close relative of the Marathon Talker is the Endless Goodbye Caller: they may get straight to the point, but once the conversation is over, ending the call becomes almost impossible. When it comes to saying goodbye, they seem nearly unstoppable.
- The Efficient Caller: practical and straight to the point, they like to get things done quickly. They tend to prefer texts or chat messages, but sometimes even they can’t avoid making a phone call. Being familiar with the Marathon Talkers of the world, the Efficient Caller usually makes it clear from the start if time is tight. And once the goodbyes begin, they are often quicker to hang up than the person on the other end. According to Ibolya Görög, this is perfectly acceptable: if you're busy, you can simply let the other person know that you only have a few minutes to talk.
- The Multitasking Caller: they take calls while walking, shopping, or even doing the dishes – keeping the phone between their tilted head and shoulder with wet hands and somehow managing to carry on the conversation all the same. According to the expert, multitasking during calls is simply part of modern life, but it’s important to make the other person feel they still have your full attention. Asking a question or giving occasional feedback can help ensure the person on the other end doesn’t feel overlooked.
- The Always-Calls-Back Type: somehow, they never seem to answer the phone – but they always get back to you later. According to the expert, this is actually the polite thing to do: if you miss a call, it’s good manners to return it at the first convenient opportunity. That said, if you promise to call someone back, failing to do so can make you look impolite.
- The Speakerphone Enthusiast: somehow, everyone on the bus or tram ends up knowing what they had for breakfast or how last night’s date went. The etiquette expert points out that taking calls on speakerphone – or simply speaking loudly – in shared public spaces is not only distracting, but can also make others feel uncomfortable. Many people don’t even realise that, by doing so, they are unintentionally involving everyone around them in their private lives.
Don’t let it ring forever
According to Ibolya Görög, while mobile phones may have sped up the pace of life, the basic rules of good manners still apply. As a general rule, personal calls are best made between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., while work-related calls should stay within working hours or, at most, one or two hours beyond – having a company phone doesn’t mean your boss can call at any hour, even at dawn. If someone doesn’t answer, it’s best not to let the phone ring endlessly: after five or six rings, it’s polite to hang up, as the missed call notification will do the rest. In urgent situations, it’s worth trying again after about half an hour or sending a short message to explain the reason for the call.
If the caller is not a close acquaintance, it’s good practice to identify ourselves when answering the phone, while the person making the call should begin with a greeting and a brief introduction. Starting a video call without prior notice, however, is widely considered impolite. The person receiving the call may simply not be in a situation where they feel comfortable appearing on camera.
Make sure you use your phone – and not the other way around
To support easier voice communication, Yettel is offering a 30% monthly fee discount for the first six months for new residential postpaid subscriptions with a commitment including number portability. In addition, until 30 June 2026, selected tariff plans include six months of unlimited domestic calls at no extra cost, making it even easier to stay connected with the people who matter most. “Phones and voice communication are very useful, of course, but you should always bear in mind that they are first and foremost tools that can never replace a handshake or other personal gestures,” adds etiquette expert Ibolya Görög.