Why is ring time capped at 30 seconds?

[Palazzo]

I've known for a while that the maximum time you can set your phone to ring for before it goes to Voicemail is 30 seconds, but Which says "...most providers set a cap at 30 seconds.".

I wondered if anyone knows a) whether this is really a provider imposed limit (i.e. Network or Service provider) and b) whether it is longer in other parts of the world. and c) why would they set such a low limit anyway?

My issue is with elderly relatives, who often take more than 30 seconds to get to the phone, take it out, and find the correct button to press to answer the call. It would be nice if there were a 60 second option for some users.

[Spenny]

When I call my mum, I let it ring for 2 or 3 times. Hang up and give it 30 secs before calling back. She always manages to answer the second time I call. The only problem is when she forgets and tries to call me back at the same time I am calling her. 😄