TELEPHONE APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a telephone apparatus for automatically performing hold/release control by means of more inexpensive means, while preventing false detection.SOLUTION: A telephone apparatus includes: a conversation state determining means having a hold tone sending function for sending a hold tone or a hold melody, and detecting a reception voice or a transmission voice to determine a conversation state; and a hold control means for controlling hold or release. When the conversation state determining means continuously detects no voice for a predetermined period or longer, the hold control means sets hold state to prohibit transmission/reception of call, and sends out the hold tone or the hold melody. The hold control means includes a release function for releasing the hold state when the conversation state determining means detects transmission/reception voice after the hold control means controls the telephone apparatus into the hold state.