Requirements for Visual Voicemail

rodp_2

Hi All,

I've been researching the requirements for Visual Voicemail after discovering that Lebara only keep your unread/saved voicemails for only 2 days. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/80723794#Comment_80723794


This site talks about which carriers provide this https://www.simsherpa.com/networks/visual-voicemail.  The issue is though what they mean by 'provide', ie. does it mean they provide their own app or does it mean there is some functionality missing on their system which prevents this?

I've read around the subject a little and came across a post which talked about the requirements.  The term Conditional Forwarding was mentoned and shows a screenshot of a phones call forwarding settings for when busy, unanswered and unreachable.

I checked out my phone settings (Samsung A5 2017 running Android 8.0.  Phone > Settings > Voicemail Settings [or] More Settings > Call forwarding).  There I have the ability to change 121 to another number for these different instances.  I tested this out and was able to forward my calls (after a few rings or straight away) to another mobile phone for which I was then able to leave a message - as if it was my own voicemail.  It still showed up as 121 on my lebara call log but never the less it seemed to work.

Is this the 'conditional forwarding' that is talked about.  So even though I'm on Lebara (where various websites states Lebara doesn't offer visual voicemail), do you think I can use visual voicemail but using a third party such as Thumbtel / Youmail / Hullomail which you pay a subscription (there maybe a free subscription option for one of them).

It seems that these third party companies provide you with a virtual number but have a voicemail facility which I am assuming is available via an app or website (meaning you can archive your voicemails etc.)

https://www.aa.net.uk/voice-and-mobile/voip-information/
£1.20 setup per number
£1.44 monthly charge per number

https://www.switchboardfree.co.uk/virtual-voicemail
£5 per month

https://www.voxsci.com/
£5 per month

https://www.thumbtel.com/hullomail/
£2.99 per month or £29.99 per year

https://www.youmail.com/home/plans
Free - Personal version.  Although I can't tell if this is US only (ie they provide a US virtual number of not).

I've not yet subscribed to any of these to try them out but if anyone else uses these, It would be good to know if the number used if a universal number (that doesn't incur any extra charged or is included in one's quota minutes)

Are there any other (affordable) companies people know of? (free or cheap!)

Thanks

Rodp

Murmansk

I've used Hullomail and over the years have used a number of different phone networks. The conditional forwarding thing is what's always been mentioned when I've asked Hullomail if I can use their service with X network. It seems to work with networks like Vodafone or Three but not those providers who use the main providers' networks so I feel fairly sure Hullomail won't work with Lebara but you could ask them (Hullomail)