Remote configuration of an industrial or remote telemetry device using sound. Acoustic energy directed from a remote programming device to a remote industrial or telemetry device has tones indicating a request to establish communication. By directing further acoustic energy from the remote programming device to the remote industrial or telemetry device, the remote programming device requests information relating to a current configuration of the remote industrial or telemetry device. The remote industrial or telemetry device processes the tones to identify the request and replies with acoustic energy that has associated tones indicating the information relating to the current configuration of the remote industrial or telemetry device.