Can't Auto Dial into Voicemail Systems

Question

Level 1

73 points

Can't Auto Dial into Voicemail Systems

I cannot get the iPhone to dial correctly into voicemail systems (not ATT) automatically. In all prior cell phones I could program in the number to access voicemail at work or home, including the passcodes, but not on the iPhone. The systems do not seem to recognize the tones generated by iPhone. As an example, suppose I have to dial 803-555-1212 to get to my my voicemail acesss, then hit #, then dial my voicemail box number 222 and passcode 5555 then hit #. In every cell phone or smartphone, I could program into saved numbers 8035551212 then have a pause sign (which is a comma on the iPhone, the #, then a ,, then 2225555# and it would allow me to hear my voicemails. I tried every conceivable combination but cannot get the iPhone to work doing this. The tones it generates after the number and first # sign are just not recognized and are very slow. Any ideas? I can enter it all manually each time and it works fine, but when programmed in the systems do not recognize the tones generated by the iPhone. I called Apple, but they were no help at all, saying they did not want liability- what liability? I just want quick access to my voicemail at home or work.

Posted on Jul 6, 2007 11:27 AM

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Answer 1

nycruza

Level 2

341 points

Jul 6, 2007 12:36 PM in response to GBH

All you need to do is call yourself (cell phone number)!
So just make a contact called VoiceMail using your phone number and then use favorites to install the number as for quick dialing.

ajm

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Answer 2

Jul 6, 2007 12:41 PM in response to nycruza

You don't even have to dial your number. Just hold down the '1' key in the phone pad. That dials right into your voice mail.

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Answer 3

SMF

Level 1

56 points

Jul 6, 2007 12:54 PM in response to GBH

Have you tried entering a pause using the pause button rather than a comma? You get the pause button by first clicking the #+= key. (See page 33 of the users manual.) The manual says you may have to insert two pauses (each lasts 2 seconds).

Susan

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Answer 4

GBH Author

Level 1

73 points

Jul 6, 2007 2:17 PM in response to GBH

I have been using the pause button to do the commas and the systems cannot recognize the numbers automatically generated by the iPhone- It does recognize them when I manually punch them in. As to the earlier posts, I am NOT talking about getting AT&T voicemail- I am talking about calling into my voicemail for my home phone with Time Warner and for my corporate voicemail for my phone at work.

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Answer 5

Gary K.

Level 1

104 points

Jul 10, 2007 9:37 PM in response to GBH

I don't have a solution, but I have burned up a lot of minutes messing with my situation--trying to get a string to work for remote call forwarding. The Qwest system does not recognize the tones I program into the phone but it does recognize manually dialed tones.

The programmed iPhone tones are individually very long and there are no breaks between them--sounding like someone holding each key down for a long time and pressing the next key on the keypad before releasing the previous key. Pauses seem to be a usable length. However, even if I program a pause between each and every digit, the Qwest system fails to recognize what is dialed;in fact it might even be a little worse that way (!?). It is really frustrating that this basic functionality is so poor!

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Answer 6

Jul 10, 2007 11:01 PM in response to GBH

I cannot get the iPhone to dial correctly into
voicemail systems (not ATT) automatically. In all
prior cell phones I could program in the number to
access voicemail at work or home, including the
passcodes, but not on the iPhone. The systems do not
seem to recognize the tones generated by iPhone. As
an example, suppose I have to dial 803-555-1212 to
get to my my voicemail acesss, then hit #, then dial
my voicemail box number 222 and passcode 5555 then
hit #. In every cell phone or smartphone, I could
program into saved numbers 8035551212 then have a
pause sign (which is a comma on the iPhone, the #,
then a ,, then 2225555# and it would allow me to hear
my voicemails. I tried every conceivable combination
but cannot get the iPhone to work doing this. The
tones it generates after the number and first # sign
are just not recognized and are very slow. Any
ideas? I can enter it all manually each time and it
works fine, but when programmed in the systems do not
recognize the tones generated by the iPhone. I
called Apple, but they were no help at all, saying
they did not want liability- what liability? I just
want quick access to my voicemail at home or
work.

I have the same problem WHEN USING the speaker function, NOT using it the tones get through no problem.

William

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Answer 7

GBH Author

Level 1

73 points

Jul 12, 2007 5:08 AM in response to GBH

My does not work with or without the speakerphone enabled. The tones are too long when generated by the iPhone, but I agree they work when entered manually. It really does not matter, though, because I am going to have to return the phone today because the sound volume is just too low. Really sorry to say because there is much about the phone to like.

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Answer 8

oskarash

Level 1

0 points

Jul 12, 2007 5:51 AM in response to GBH

1. I have the same problem, and have called Apple about it. The person I called did not fully understand the problem.
The iPhone generates the tones (when dialing automatically) which are not recognized by AT&T phone system. I believe this is because there's no pause between the tones at all. This may be a problem of Apple or AT&T. I think this can be fixed in software upgrade, but somebody from Apple should understand the problem.
2. Another related problem is that you cannot program a very long phone number - and you need to do that in order to automatically dial PINs, password, etc. After you reached over some number of digits, the iPhone doesn't dial your number at all.

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Answer 9

Borodin

Level 1

10 points

Jul 12, 2007 6:26 AM in response to GBH

Yes I have the same problem and reported it here a week or so ago. Also opened a feedback entry for it.

The tones seem to be too long and too close together that the remote voicemail system at work cannot distinguish between them successfully every time. There are usually one or two numbers it gets wrong in my extension or my passcode.

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Answer 10

GBH Author

Level 1

73 points

Jul 12, 2007 6:42 AM in response to GBH

It is a real shame it cannot do this successfully. This is just basic functionality and every cell phone and smartphone I have ever had can do this. I have to call voicemails at home and work a lot, especially on the road, and to just hit a speed dial button (or here, a favorites button) that does it all to get into the voicemail is essential. As it stands now, I have to constantly key in numbers on the road manually to retrieve remote voicemails- nearly impossible to do safely while driving with the iPhone, but easy when done automatically by speed dial.

I agree it is impossible to explain this to Apple. I have tried to do so several times, but they really don't understand it. They say it is a consumer phone, but I tell them to forget my business voicemail back at work- I can't get any of my voicemails at home either.

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