A method for providing ringback tone in a communication network, comprising the following steps: subscribing, by the called terminal, to a real time ringback tone service; and saving subscription information in a Home Location Register, HLR, corresponding to the called terminal; sending, by the calling terminal, the calling request to the called terminal via ar Originating Mobile Switching Center, O_MSC,; obtaining, by the O_MSC, the subscription information and routing information of the called terminal from the HLR; sending, by the O_MSC, the calling request to the called terminal via a Terminating Mobile Switching Center, T_MSC, (505, 506); characterized in that during the establishment of a call connection between a calling terminal and a called terminal according to a received calling request and before a speech path connection between the two terminals is established, performing the following additional steps: instructing, by at least one of the O_MSC and the T_MSC, a ringback tone unit to play a default ringback tone or a traditional ringback tone before the T_MSC receives a ringback tone indication value; receiving a ringback tone indication value from the called terminal; sending, by the T_MSC, the ringback tone indication value to the ringback tone unit directly or indirectly; obtaining, by the ringback tone unit, a corresponding ringback tone according to the ringback tone indication value; and stopping, by the ringback tone unit, playing the default ringback tone or the traditional ringback tone; and playing the corresponding ringback tone to the calling terminal; wherein, the ringback tone indication value corresponds to a predetermined mode that is preset by the called terminal,, and the called terminal determines the ringback tone indication value according to the current mode and sends the ringback tone indication value corresponding to the current mode to a Terminating Mobile Switching Center, T_MSC, automatically such that the called terminal does not need to manually input the ringback tone indication value. subscribing, by the called terminal, to a real time ringback tone service; and saving subscription information in a Home Location Register, HLR, corresponding to the called terminal; sending, by the calling terminal, the calling request to the called terminal via ar Originating Mobile Switching Center, O_MSC,; obtaining, by the O_MSC, the subscription information and routing information of the called terminal from the HLR; sending, by the O_MSC, the calling request to the called terminal via a Terminating Mobile Switching Center, T_MSC, (505, 506); characterized in that during the establishment of a call connection between a calling terminal and a called terminal according to a received calling request and before a speech path connection between the two terminals is established, performing the following additional steps: instructing, by at least one of the O_MSC and the T_MSC, a ringback tone unit to play a default ringback tone or a traditional ringback tone before the T_MSC receives a ringback tone indication value; receiving a ringback tone indication value from the called terminal; sending, by the T_MSC, the ringback tone indication value to the ringback tone unit directly or indirectly; obtaining, by the ringback tone unit, a corresponding ringback tone according to the ringback tone indication value; and stopping, by the ringback tone unit, playing the default ringback tone or the traditional ringback tone; and playing the corresponding ringback tone to the calling terminal; wherein, the ringback tone indication value corresponds to a predetermined mode that is preset by the called terminal,, and the called terminal determines the ringback tone indication value according to the current mode and sends the ringback tone indication value corresponding to the current mode to a Terminating Mobile Switching Center, T_MSC, automatically such that the called terminal does not need to manually input the ringback tone indication value. instructing, by at least one of the O_MSC and the T_MSC, a ringback tone unit to play a default ringback tone or a traditional ringback tone before the T_MSC receives a ringback tone indication value; receiving a ringback tone indication value from the called terminal; sending, by the T_MSC, the ringback tone indication value to the ringback tone unit directly or indirectly; obtaining, by the ringback tone unit, a corresponding ringback tone according to the ringback tone indication value; and stopping, by the ringback tone unit, playing the default ringback tone or the traditional ringback tone; and playing the corresponding ringback tone to the calling terminal; wherein, the ringback tone indication value corresponds to a predetermined mode that is preset by the called terminal,, and the called terminal determines the ringback tone indication value according to the current mode and sends the ringback tone indication value corresponding to the current mode to a Terminating Mobile Switching Center, T_MSC, automatically such that the called terminal does not need to manually input the ringback tone indication value.