A proximity detector for use in a mobile telephone having at least a microphone and a loudspeaker operatively connected to a signal processor is presented. The proximity detector includes data processing and control modules having a module for controlling the signal processor for activating the loudspeaker to reproduce an acoustic control signal. A correlator correlates a control signal received directly by the microphone and a control signal being reflected from a user of the telephone and then received by the microphone to determine the distance between the telephone and the user. A signal level controller controls the signal processor to vary the signal level of an audible signal reproduced by the loudspeaker proportionally to the determined distance between the telephone and the user.