Turning off Voicemail save 30p per time!

flecktarn

On all mobile phones there is what we call a carrier connection fee to voice mail which includes retrieving messages.

Normally this can range from 10p to 40p just by connecting to someones voice mail if they are out of range.

The best way to save money is to turn voice mail off. Besides if you cannot answer your phone, then the number is listed in your missed calls; and if you could have answered your phone, you would have done so. If you are unavailable turn your phone off!

Trust me this gets very expensive at 30p a time for me on Pay & Go, however all mobile phone carriers share a nice bounty in costs for voice mail.

If you cannot find the code as some providers hide it, just google "turning off voice mail" O2 Orange Vodaphone T-Mobile etc. Sometimes you might need to include your make and model of phone.

Good Luck

Stuart_W

Well, perhaps I'm on my own on this board as this has come up before, but I personally value voicemail. If I'm calling someone and it goes to voicemail, I leave them a message. If someone is calling me and I can't take the call, they leave me a message. I quite like this arrangement personally.

As far as it costing you 10p-40p everytime you call someone, that's dependent on what tariff you're on.

I make plenty of short calls. The Phone Co-op would charge me 7p per minute, charged by the second, with a minimum call charge of 1.2p, allowing my to leave a short message for 2 or 3 pence. I can access messages left for me online, for free, or I can pay the same to retrieve messages from my phone. There are ways and tariffs that allow free voicemail retrieval if that is important.

If you don't like what you're being charged, look around for a better deal - I don't think you can expect everyone to turn off voicemail (although, admittedly, some people probably should, especially if they don't check it for messages or want to use it). I will not be turning off my voicemail, because I often won't be able to answer my phone and prefer to listening to messages when convenient.

You are right, though, many phone companies use this to make extra money from short calls. My solution is don't let them by moving to one that doesn't use it to make extra money from short calls, or includes voicemail calls in allowance bundles or charges by the second without a 1 minute minimum.

IIRC, Orange require you to contact them to deactivate voicemail completely, just doing it from the handset won't work (could be wrong, though) as the network will still divert it no matter what your phone is set to.

grumbler

flecktarn wrote: »

On all mobile phones there is what we call a carrier connection fee to voice mail which includes retrieving messages.

Correct. However, pay monthly customers can use inclusive minutes at some providers.

Normally this can range from 10p to 40p just by connecting to someones voice mail if they are out of range.

Is this not something different? If you call them and they are out of range you do pay for the call, but nothing extra for leaving a message.

As a side note, we are not blind here.

Mrs_Arcanum

Personally always switch off voice mail. If I ring someone on a mobile it is because I want to speak to them now. If it is not urgent or I get no reply I text. The other issue with voicemail is when someone is in a no reception area it goes straight to voicemail giving you no option but to pay the cost as it is too late to hang up.

Guys_Dad

That's a really useful tip. I never would have thought of it myself and am sure most people haven't either, what with mobile phones being brand new technology.

I have actually gone one better. I get people to ring my next door neighbour's mobile and they knock on my door if there is a call. I then go in and use their mobile to ring whoever rang me. That way I save any mobile bills.

What about when I am not at home? Well I don't get out much, hence my profuse thanks for your innovative advice on money saving. Didn't even have to have my spectacles on to read it as well.

Buzby

Where all this falls down, is when thew Voicemail is turned off, but the destination network plays a message (like 'it has not been possible to connect your call'). On a cross network call I have seen these charged as the originating network successfully delivered the call to the recipient network (who played the message). There's no hard and fast rule, and the only way to really find out is to use a public payphone - if it takes your money, you've been charged.