HT201436: Visual Voicemail on your iPhone

Learn about Visual Voicemail on your iPhone
stonecleve

Q: Why don't Apple store employees know visual voicemails are not transferred when getting a new phone. That data is lost to you. Not unchecked messaged but those you listened to but still want a record of. This is a serious issue for me.

Bought new iphone. No one in store recognized that visual voicemail is not stored with carrier but on SIM card. Messages viewed but not deleted. This was important data for me. It was weeks ago I purchased new phone and have been sick so just learned of problem. This was explained at store as a carrier issue. It is a SIM card and phone issue. Is there a way to retrieve my SIM card from Apple? Why are employees so ignorant of fundamental issue?

iPhone 5, iOS 7.0.6

Posted on Mar 1, 2014 4:50 AM

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Q: Why don't Apple store employees know visual voicemails are not transferred when getting a new phone. That data is lost to you. Not ... more

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  • by stedman1,

    stedman1 stedman1 Mar 1, 2014 4:52 AM in response to stonecleve
    Level 9 (73,992 points)
    Apple Watch
    Mar 1, 2014 4:52 AM in response to stonecleve

    Nope. Voicemails are not stored on the SIM card, as they only contain your account information. Voicemails are and always have been a function of your cellular provider.

  • by stonecleve,

    stonecleve stonecleve Mar 1, 2014 4:59 AM in response to stedman1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 1, 2014 4:59 AM in response to stedman1

    partially correct. But viewed visual voicemails are stored on SIM card as I just read on official Apple info site. And lost with phone if SIM card remains with old phone. Why don't u know this?

     

    Message was edited by: stonecleve

  • by TJBUSMC1973,

    TJBUSMC1973 TJBUSMC1973 Mar 1, 2014 5:00 AM in response to stonecleve
    Level 5 (7,636 points)
    Mar 1, 2014 5:00 AM in response to stonecleve

    Why did you not transfer your SIM card to the replacement device?

  • by stonecleve,

    stonecleve stonecleve Mar 1, 2014 5:18 AM in response to TJBUSMC1973
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 1, 2014 5:18 AM in response to TJBUSMC1973

    I imagined it would be done at apple store when updated to new phone

  • by TJBUSMC1973,

    TJBUSMC1973 TJBUSMC1973 Mar 1, 2014 9:06 AM in response to stonecleve
    Level 5 (7,636 points)
    Mar 1, 2014 9:06 AM in response to stonecleve

    And since not all iPhones use SIM cards, I would imagine that you would be the one most aware of your wireless carrier requirements.  Did you test to make sure you rphone was working properly before leaving the store?

  • by wjosten,

    wjosten wjosten Mar 1, 2014 9:15 AM in response to stonecleve
    Level 10 (94,615 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 1, 2014 9:15 AM in response to stonecleve

    stonecleve wrote:

    But viewed visual voicemails are stored on SIM card as I just read on official Apple info site.

     

    Read it again. iPhone stores no data on a sim card...none. What the article actually says is this:

     

    "Inserting a new SIM card in your iPhone may cause the existing Visual Voicemails that are saved on your iPhone to be deleted."

    Notice the "saved on your iPhone" part.

  • by wegras,

    wegras wegras Mar 1, 2014 9:15 AM in response to stonecleve
    Level 6 (15,184 points)
    Wireless
    Mar 1, 2014 9:15 AM in response to stonecleve

    Why don't u know this?

    Why doesn't who know this ?

  • by stonecleve,

    stonecleve stonecleve Mar 1, 2014 10:26 AM in response to wjosten
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 1, 2014 10:26 AM in response to wjosten

    Mr. stedman,TJBUS,and WJosten,

    My dear sirs;

    The fact is that my viewed but not deleted visual voicemails are not transferred by ATT. They retain access and restore access to unviewed/unheard voicemails. Those undeleted voicemails were on prior phone and are not transferred when you purchase or upgrade phones.

    I did not know they would be lost. I am not very computer literate. I just found out what a #$^%$% SIM card is. I did review my voicemails prior to leaving store, saw they were not there and asked for help. I was told this is a carrier issue, not an apple issue.

    If I had known I would have asked for my original phone back so that I could document those calls. This is business related.

     

    But I did not know because I am not sophisticated.

    My point was that the geniuses at Apple ought to have known and told me at the time. Instead of blaming me for being ignorant later.

    I make no claim to not being ignorant. They make a claim to knowing how to make a smooth transition between devices. No one there had any clue about viewed but undeleted visual voicemail and what would happen to it.

    I think Apple employees should know.

    If you wish to argue with that point, so be it.

  • by stedman1,

    stedman1 stedman1 Mar 1, 2014 10:35 AM in response to stonecleve
    Level 9 (73,992 points)
    Apple Watch
    Mar 1, 2014 10:35 AM in response to stonecleve

    I have no reason to argue with you, or with what you may have been told by an Apple store employee.