How do you know if a mobile phone is active?

[Peppermint]

If somebody told you that their mobile phone had fallen into the sea would you hear the ring tone on calling its number and be able to leave a voicemail message?

[Kerplunk]

I presume it would act like the phone was switched off....

If this means it would normally go straight to voicemail then yes it would do the same.

[Peppermint]

Many thanks Kerplunk - it rang several times and then went to voicemail - not directly to voicemail, would this make any difference?
Im really not sure if hearing a ring tone means that the phone itself is ringing and therefore not really underwater as said or wether it is the network just trying to reach the number?

[mikeyp]

I think if a phone was out of action in any way, (off, broken, drowned etc) it wouldn't ring at all. My opinion is that this phone isn't in the sea.

[Peppermint]

Many thanks mikeyp - thats what my instincts are telling me!

[TeeGee]

Surely, if you dropped a 'phone ( or any piece of electronic equipment ) into the sea then the water would short eveything out and the 'phone would react is if it were dead. The ringing tone you hear is generated by the provider and if no response returned in a given time then provider switches to voicemail.
So, the 'phone could drowned, have a flat battery, be switched off, or whatever.

[Peppermint]

Many Thanks TeeGee,

You've given me an answer that has made me think that maybe the phone is in the sea after all. It appears that you are saying that you would hear the ring tone even if the phone had "short out". More to think about. Thanks to all that have given my question thought.

[Kerplunk]

It depends on the provider. Mine goes straight to voicemail if switched off (Or Drowned).

[Peppermint]

Kerplunk,

The provider - I believe is O2. I wonder if that would react the same as yours?