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jonathan18

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#205232 4-Nov-2016 13:35
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Sorry if my question proves my ignorance, but is there any ability to add the equivalent functionality of the iPhone's "visual voicemail" to an Android phone in NZ? I'm talking here about an app displaying each voice message received, and the ability to listen/delete etc directly from the app.

 

Essentially, I was wondering if there's an app that can be downloaded that provides this ability for use with NZ carriers; while I've found some apps that seem to perform this function (eg, InstaVoice), they seem to be specific to carriers in other countries (primarily the US).

 

Are there also no apps available that work completely independently from carriers' answer services? Ie, an app that "answers" your phone automatically after so many rings, plays a "leave a message" message, records the caller's message on the phone, then displays this for the owner to see and then listen/delete?

 

Thanks in advance for any illumination!

 

 


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jonathan18

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  #1664225 5-Nov-2016 13:37
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Bump - can anyone shed some light on my questions asked above? Thanks...



gzt

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  #1664263 5-Nov-2016 14:25
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I don't know the answer. I believe it requires carrier integration and has not been done yet.

My impression is it's a lack of competition and no first mover on this. From memory one of the telcos has a web portal for listening to voice messages, close but that's all.

It's been a while since I looked into it. I'd like to be horribly wrong on this one.


taneb1
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  #1664276 5-Nov-2016 15:04
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As far as I am aware, none of the NZ Telcos officially support Visual Voicemail.

 

I've been using Touch Voicemail with Spark for over coming up a year now, and have found it to be great - http://touchvoicemail.com/ - From my understanding I think I saw they also launched an android app a few months back. 

 

It does use your included minutes (or credit)to forward to their relevant number needed for the service, but with most plans coming with Unlimited calling now, its never been an issue. Especially handy when travelling overseas as can still listen to voicemails people have left on my NZ number. 





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jonathan18

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  #1664279 5-Nov-2016 15:13
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Thanks for the replies. Ah, I now recall signing up for that Touch Voicemail offer for the first 1000 customers, as per this thread! Apparently still well within the first 1000, so may end up with something. That app does indeed seem like it may offer exactly what I'm after, so will do a bit more reading when I get the chance. Cheers for the advice...``


gzt

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  #1664283 5-Nov-2016 15:29
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Me too. There was no communication after the initial sign up confirmation.

Being a nerd I'd be happy to run an alpha or beta, and I'm well aware what those mean in practice ; ). I do have a few questions around the security of this method, but maybe because I don't fully understand it.

It appears they are in other markets so the tech is unlikely to be the issue in any delay. Probably more on the business and practical integration side.

sbiddle
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  #1664291 5-Nov-2016 16:10
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Deploying visual voicemail or anything that looks or acts like it runs up against many Apple patents. It's probably one of the reasons why anybody could build an Android app to replicate the exact same functionality but hasn't done so.

 

 


coffeebaron
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  #1664319 5-Nov-2016 16:44
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You're more likely to see voicemail to email before visual voicemail here.




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gzt

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  #1664321 5-Nov-2016 16:55
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Software patents are not particularly enforceable in NZ. I don't see yet how Apple patents would be a big problem.

Although, it might be a serious relationship problem for any carrier with a strong relationship with Apple and cooperating to provide this feature on Android.

Having said that, I'm sure it could be achieved without carrier cooperation, but no doubt it's a bit of a roundabout and introduces some additional challenges.

sbiddle
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  #1664324 5-Nov-2016 17:11
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gzt: Software patents are not particularly enforceable in NZ. I don't see yet how Apple patents would be a big problem.

Although, it might be a serious relationship problem for any carrier with a strong relationship with Apple and cooperating to provide this feature on Android.

Having said that, I'm sure it could be achieved without carrier cooperation, but no doubt it's a bit of a roundabout and introduces some additional challenges.

 

Building an app to deliver VMM like functionality and delivering Apple's VMM are two very different things.

 

Apple VMM requires integration with the VM platform and significant licencing costs that go along with this.

 

3rd party VMM apps can easily be build to answer voicemail on the phone and deliver Apple like VMM functionality. There are a number of providers incl T-Mobile who have build their own VMM app and functionality for Android.

 

At the end of the day though voicemail is something that's pretty much dead. Yes some people consider it important but I wouldn't have left a voicemail for anybody in probably 5+ years and could count the number of voicemail messages I get a year on a single hand.

 

Vodafone have recently deployed an entirely new voicemail platform that does offer many cool features such as voicemail to email. Whether such functionality sees the light of day and is made public probably comes down to customer demand.

 

 

 

 


gehenna
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  #1664327 5-Nov-2016 17:17
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Touch Voicemail is wonderful.  Hopefully the Android version is released soon.  


scottjpalmer
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  #1664359 5-Nov-2016 18:44
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sbiddle: . . . could count the number of voicemail messages I get a year on a single hand.


That's because nobody knows what to do and when to do it

Geektastic
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  #1664391 5-Nov-2016 21:50
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sbiddle:

 

Deploying visual voicemail or anything that looks or acts like it runs up against many Apple patents. It's probably one of the reasons why anybody could build an Android app to replicate the exact same functionality but hasn't done so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In that case, you'd expect to see it on Apple handsets in NZ....and you don't.






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