New voicemail notification via SMS on Telecom XT

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freitasm

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#72782 2-Dec-2010 16:28

Just received:

New voicemail innovation on Telecom’s XT

From tomorrow (3 December 2010) postpaid customers signing up to Telecom XT will experience a new, easier way to retrieve voicemail. It’s called Voicemail Viewer and lets you see exactly who has left you a message on your XT Mobile.

Instead of an ‘icon’ appearing on your mobile when you have a voice message, you will receive a free text message (Voicemail Viewer notification) if you’ve missed a call.

The text message lets you see who called, what time the message was left, and the length of the message. From there its just one click to dial-in and listen.

Rather than go through all your messages sequentially, Voicemail Viewer leads you directly to the messages you want to listen to.

“This product is a revolution in the use of voicemail and adds serious convenience to our customers who want to prioritise their messages”, says Telecom’s Head of Mobile Products, Jason Foden.

XT is the only Network where customers will be able to access this innovative new service which is free to all new postpaid customers.

From February 2011, Telecom will contact all existing XT postpaid and prepaid customer about moving to Voicemail Viewer.

The usual access charge to voicemail will still apply when you click the link to listen to voicemail. If you select to call-back the caller your usual voice minute charges apply.

Come on, ask for Visual Voicemail... I know you want to ask.

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#412149 2-Dec-2010 16:32

Can you reply to delete the message? That would be great if you could.

To be honest, having the number in the text would be not too useful since that would not mean much if you only use your phones contacts to call people.

Richard rich.ms

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#412150 2-Dec-2010 16:34

I wonder if there's any way to opt in prior to 2011 for existing customers (I only just moved to XT from VF about a week ago!).

Sounds brilliant and about as close as it looks like I'm going to get to visual voicemail on my iPhone 4 :)

magu

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#412154 2-Dec-2010 16:43

Wow. It sounds amazingly similar to Vodafone's system. Innovative, huh?

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freitasm

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#412155 2-Dec-2010 16:45

magu: Wow. It sounds amazingly similar to Vodafone's system. Innovative, huh?

I thought the Vodafone system only notify you of missed calls. Or does it let you access the specific voice mail directly, like this one?

bcourtney

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#412156 2-Dec-2010 16:45

and yet completely different. Vodafone doesn't provide a link to take you directly to that voicemail message in your voicemail.

richms

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#412159 2-Dec-2010 16:49

I prefer no voicemail to be honest. Most people will text if the phonecall doesnt go thru and that saves time.

Richard rich.ms

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#412160 2-Dec-2010 16:51

richms: I prefer no voicemail to be honest. Most people will text if the phonecall doesnt go thru and that saves time.

Difficult to text from a landline, which a good number of my clients contact me via

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freitasm

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#412163 2-Dec-2010 16:56

richms: To be honest, having the number in the text would be not too useful since that would not mean much if you only use your phones contacts to call people.

I just got a screenshot of this feature. It seems it sends the SMS with the original caller ID as the sender, and a unique number to call for the voice mail:

It means you will see the caller name from your contacts.

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#412165 2-Dec-2010 16:59

@bcourtney:But that's what missed calls are for.

Edit: I'm another of these weird people who doesn't have voicemail!

freitasm

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#412167 2-Dec-2010 17:01

Arghhh. Didn't you read the whole thing? It gives you a link that allows you to call your voice mail and listen to that specific message, without having to go through all other messages.

You can give priority to the message from important people, customers, etc.

Please folks, read that release again!

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#412169 2-Dec-2010 17:02

Oh nice then. Hope the numbers only work from the phone that the sms was sent to otherwise people will be playing guess the numbers.

Like that they spoof the senders ID to be the caller - what happens for the dreaded withheld and unavailable calls that I really wish the mobile telcos would allow you to block.

Richard rich.ms

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#412170 2-Dec-2010 17:03

richms: I prefer no voicemail to be honest. Most people will text if the phonecall doesnt go thru and that saves time.

Then call your carrier and ask them to disable voicemail.

nickd: @bcourtney:But that's what missed calls are for.

What if your phone is off or outside of coverage?

bcourtney

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#412171 2-Dec-2010 17:03

nickd: @bcourtney:But that's what missed calls are for.

How am I to prioritise who and when to call back based on my missed calls? Easy if you only get a couple - not so if you have plenty.

All I'm saying is that the people that call me that need to get in contact with me urgently generally ALWAYS leave me a voice message and don't text me

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#412173 2-Dec-2010 17:07

richms: Oh nice then. Hope the numbers only work from the phone that the sms was sent to otherwise people will be playing guess the numbers.

I would guess they would be, otherwise they are going to run out of numbers in the +648320xxxx allocation really quickly!

freitasm

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#412174 2-Dec-2010 17:09

I would say the numbers are used, and 0832105555 goes to one specific voice message if you call, while the same 0832105555 goes to another voice message if I call from my number.

Not hard to do it...

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