20 cents for voice mail retrieval query.

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JaseNZ

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#142936 29-Mar-2014 10:19

I just wondered on the charging of 20 cents for every voice mail retrieval , where does this price come from as it seems quite steep when you are dipping in quite often to get voice mails. I gather that the call is free when you dial in and that this is part of the cost ??

Just curious on where the charging comes from.

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#1014970 29-Mar-2014 10:22

It's always been there and the voicemail system isn't all that cheap to run... you can always disable voicemail so then you won't get messages.

sbiddle

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#1014971 29-Mar-2014 10:33

Voicemail retrieval has been charged at 20c per call since the early days of BellSouth (it was their launch rate). On Telecom you historically paid a per minute rate to retrieve messages, and also a per minute rate for message deposit. From the mid to late 90s Telecom moved from 20c per minute to 20c per call and dumped the deposit fees due to the competition from BellSouth.

Right now Telecom, Vodafone and 2degrees all charge 20c for no reason other than that's the price of the service - in much the same way 20c is still the "standard" price for a SMS.

I don't pay it on Vodafone because I just call my number using included minutes to check my voicemail. I don't know if the same trick works on Telecom.

nzbnw

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#1014976 29-Mar-2014 10:58

sbiddle:

I don't pay it on Vodafone because I just call my number using included minutes to check my voicemail. I don't know if the same trick works on Telecom.

Pretty sure it doesn't.

OP what plan are you on? Business? Some Business plans have it included.

nzbnw

JaseNZ

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#1014977 29-Mar-2014 10:59

cheers guys I was just interested to where the cost came from. Don't know if the same calling your own number works for Telecom will have to try it.

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JaseNZ

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#1014979 29-Mar-2014 11:03

nzbnw:
sbiddle:

I don't pay it on Vodafone because I just call my number using included minutes to check my voicemail. I don't know if the same trick works on Telecom.

Pretty sure it doesn't.

OP what plan are you on? Business? Some Business plans have it included.

nzbnw

I am on the $99 ultra plan. Phone is used for work so they reimburse me every month which is great.

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old3eyes

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#1014980 29-Mar-2014 11:07

Personally I think it should be a part of your voice plan..

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SteveON

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#1015032 29-Mar-2014 12:47

It costs money for servers, power, people ... You know the normal stuff that costs money to provide a service.

old3eyes

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#1015035 29-Mar-2014 12:49

SteveON: It costs money for servers, power, people ... You know the normal stuff that costs money to provide a service.

It also costs money to run the switching system but that's all in you minutes package so why not voicemail access??

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Old3eyes

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#1015036 29-Mar-2014 12:50

This has always made me hate receiving voicemail.

Dratsab

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#1015081 29-Mar-2014 15:13

old3eyes:
SteveON: It costs money for servers, power, people ... You know the normal stuff that costs money to provide a service.

It also costs money to run the switching system but that's all in you minutes package so why not voicemail access??

Switches are a necessity to help operate the network. Voicemail isn't, it's an extra service that you have to pay for* if you want the luxury of using it.

* unless you do things wisely like sbiddle.

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#1015082 29-Mar-2014 15:14

The worst thing is getting the "you have voicemail" notification, calling up and paying the 20c, and finding no messages. If they're going to charge for the service then they should make it work properly!

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JaseNZ

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#1015087 29-Mar-2014 15:23

Behodar: The worst thing is getting the "you have voicemail" notification, calling up and paying the 20c, and finding no messages. If they're going to charge for the service then they should make it work properly!

Yup I get that , I also get you have xx old voice mails where I have deleted them in a previous call but the still seem to stay there.

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tardtasticx

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#1015102 29-Mar-2014 16:10

Why don't they let you choose somehow if you want to pay for voicemail as you go, or use your included minutes? I often have like 300 minutes left over each month, would rather waste those on voicemail than pay 20c a call.

steve98

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#1015123 29-Mar-2014 18:03

plambrechtsen: It's always been there and the voicemail system isn't all that cheap to run... you can always disable voicemail so then you won't get messages.

How do you do this? Do you have to call customer service?

Yabanize

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#1015129 29-Mar-2014 18:24

sbiddle: Right now Telecom, Vodafone and 2degrees all charge 20c for no reason other than that's the price of the service - in much the same way 20c is still the "standard" price for a SMS.

I don't pay it on Vodafone because I just call my number using included minutes to check my voicemail. I don't know if the same trick works on Telecom.

2degrees just takes one of your included minutes from your $19 plan for example.

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