Methods and apparatus to provide voice control of dial tone and audio message in a telephone in an initial off-hook period. A telephone system has a telephone with a receiver having an off-hook position. The telephone system provides a user with control of a telephone function. The telephone system includes an audio output to provide an audio message to the receiver in the off-hook position. The audio message includes an option for playing the audio message or a dial tone the next instance the receiver is in the off-hook position. A control interface receives a selected option in response to a user command.