Answering system operation

Answering system and voicemail

Your telephone has separate indicators for two different types of voice messages: those left on its built-in answering system and those left at your service provider’s voicemail. Your telephone’s built-in answering system messages and voicemail messages are separate. Each alerts you to new messages differently.

•If and XX New messages display on the handset and the message window on the telephone base flashes, there are new messages in the built-in answering system. To listen to the messages recorded on your digital answering system, press /PLAY/STOP on the telephone base. To listen to messages with a handset, see To play messages with a handset on page 51.

•If and New voicemail display on the handset, your telephone service provider is indicating that it has new voicemail for you. To listen to your voicemail, you typically dial an access number provided by your telephone service provider, followed by a security code or PIN.

Some service providers bundle or combine multiple services like voicemail and call waiting, so you may not be aware that you have voicemail. To check what services you have and how to access them, contact your telephone service provider.

To use your voicemail service rather than your answering system, turn off your answering system. To use your answering system rather than your voicemail service, contact your telephone service provider to deactivate your voicemail service.

Using the answering system and voicemail together

You can also use your telephone answering system and voicemail together by setting your built-in answering system to answer before voicemail answers as described below. To learn how to program your voicemail settings, contact your telephone service provider. Then, if you are on a call, or if the answering system is busy recording a message and you receive another call, the second caller can leave a voicemail message.

Set your answering system to answer calls at least two rings earlier than your voicemail is set to answer. For example, if your voicemail answers after six rings, set your answering system to answer after four rings. Some voicemail providers may program the delay before answering calls in seconds instead of rings. In this case, allow six seconds per ring when determining the appropriate setting.