UNKNOWN caller in Visual Voicemail

Going on 6 days now with any call I receive that goes to Voicemail. It shows up as "UNKNOWN" when viewed in Visual Voicemail.

I'm certain these are not "Blocked" calls/callers - most part are in my address book as long established contacts.

You see caller ID as it rings, listed in "Recent Calls" but something gets lost when it is in Voicemail. Anyone seeing this as well?

24" iMac, 15 MBP, Mac mini, iPhone, Mac OS X (10.4.10), Hi, my name is Jim...I have a Mac buying problem.

Posted on Oct 22, 2007 9:35 AM

53 replies

LadyAdun

Level 2

280 points

Oct 25, 2007 11:15 AM in response to fluteboy

fluteboy wrote:
For what it's worth, I just spoke to Apple iPhone tech support and they said Sprint recently changed over their network to a system that is now incompatible with Visual Voicemail. That is why incoming Sprint voicemails appear as "Unknown". Apple and ATT both say there is nothing they can do about it.

As a matter of fact, the Unknown caller I get in a Sprint customer I believe. So it very well could be an isolated thing to Sprint, maybe Verizon too as they use the same kind of wireless system. Hopefully though it will all get worked out. I don't worry about it though, because the person does show up in the recent calls area. And it doesn't affect my ability to listen to her messages.

Oct 25, 2007 6:53 PM in response to JimmieChicago

I live in Oklahoma City and I am seeing the same thing for about a week now. I called AT&T yesterday and they reset my voicemail but to no avail. They advised me to call back if it doesn't correct itself. Anyone else have any ideas?

Oct 25, 2007 8:36 PM in response to JimmieChicago

I have had the same problem now for about a week and a half. I have called ATT, Apple Support etc. I have performed a full restore of the iphone, had ATT reset my voicemail, replaced my sim card, and no luck. The strange thing is that there are 3 iphones on my account and only 2 of the three have this problem. I hope someone figures this out soon.

Oct 26, 2007 10:40 AM in response to Jeff-Phoenix

I've been having the same problem since Wednesday, the 24th, when I went out of my normal calling area by flying across country. Even after returning to my calling area, it's happening intermittently, but I can't totally trace it to one thing (like Sprint) because it's happened with other iPhone users calling me! I called AT&T and Apple Tech and they say everything looks fine on their end. I think the only way to test the "is it the phone or the service?" theory is to swap out the phone and see if it still happens (although perhaps that resets something in AT&T's system which also might fix it?).

On a subnote, is there a way to save my voicemails before going through that?

LadyAdun

Level 2

280 points

Oct 26, 2007 11:08 AM in response to batchannel

Nope, you can't save voicemails. Although I'm not sure switching phone will delete them. I recently got a new iPhone, and a voicemail I had before the switch ported over to my new phone. So if it's in the ststem, then it stays in the system. I think the only time we had to worry was when we originally made the switch.

Oct 26, 2007 11:23 AM in response to JimmieChicago

Here's what I know...

1. Definitely a "issue" in Chicago area. Several impromptu conversations with people on the street confirm we are not alone, they just don't post to forums.

2. Not limited to Sprint/PCS network. Their "network change" sounds like it will be an issue for them regardless of the bigger problem being fixed, but I've tested it on 4 land lines 1 VOIP and Sprint, Verizon, AT&T and AllTel networks and all are equally failing.

3. SIM swap does not seem to fix the problem.

4. Multiple resets, with same end result lead me to conclude the problem is NOT fully solvable, even on short term basis.(Mine worked after Scorched Earth Restore for exactly ONE call...from tech at AT&T...which I know consider tainted through some kind of "we can make anything work once on our network" voodoo.

Anyone else feel strongly that is this an AT & T problem, and our efforts should point there first? what am I missing that could make it an iPhone thing?

PS...anyone else noticed how amazingly pathetic the spell check feature is on this forum??? lol Misspelled "conversatoin" and it offered "operation" as first option.

Oct 26, 2007 3:17 PM in response to JimmieChicago

Started happening to me yesterday. At first I thought it was Sprint callers only, but now it’s happened with another number.

It doesn’t happened with most numbers, but when it happens with a particular number, it will consistently occur with that number.

I’ve been on the phone with AT&T, they are unaware of the issue.

I was transferred to an Apple iPhone specialist, she was immediately aware of the issue. She stated it was known issue with Sprint. She transferred me back to AT&T and I was disconnected.

I’m on the phone now...

Oct 26, 2007 6:24 PM in response to JimmieChicago

I was on the phone with AT&T second level and they finally created a case regarding this to be escalated up. The man I spoke with was puzzled as to why this is happening and we were on the phone for a good hour. I've tested this with other iPhones and such in and out of my calling area.

It seems to be a glitch within the Visual Voicemail application (AT&T side) and the information it's getting from their voicemail system. It is not an issue with the iPhone itself however it seems.

At this time the system date for this to be fixed I was told will be at the end of this month.

Oct 26, 2007 9:52 PM in response to BMClemons

Well, at least they admit that they might have a problem, instead of saying it's someone else's fault. I wish they'd just figure out what they did to their sofware last week, and hit the "undo" button, because it had worked fine since June. It's so frustrating to get addicted to the spiffy new feature, and then have it taken away from you. Let's stay on them and make them get us a good outcome.

Oct 27, 2007 9:37 PM in response to JimmieChicago

I live around the DFW area and I am having the same problem, my problems seems to be an issue with VOIP. Any time i recieve a call from a VOIP it shows up in the caller id and the recient list but the visual voicemail shows Unknown. I wonder if anyone has gotten a answer to this problem. I have spent two days on the phone with AT&T APPLE and VONAGE with no sucess.

Please let me know if anyone has gotten this problem fixed. Thanks

CCGIANTS

Level 1

0 points

Oct 28, 2007 2:05 AM in response to JimmieChicago

Yeah, I'm in Sacramento, CA and been having this problem for the past few days. I know for a fact one of the unknown voicemail's I am receiving are from a METRO PCS cell phone. There is def. something going on right now, and I guarantee it is all ATT.

Oct 28, 2007 10:08 AM in response to JimmieChicago

This issue is still present. Depending on who you talk to at AT&T and Apple, some staff are aware of this issue, but most are not. They will attempt iPhone troubleshooting.

After full iPhone troubleshooting, Apple offered to replace my phone.

I hate to think of all the people that are resetting, restoring, swapping SIM’s and otherwise wasting time troubleshooting, when this is an AT&T network issue.

Anyone who is experiencing this issue should call AT&T and Apple, and request escalation for the "*iPhone Visual Voicemail Unknown Caller issue*", until it’s acknowledged and a time frame for resolution is provided. Don’t give up! We need to report every instance. Make them create case numbers.

Don’t waste your time restoring your iPhone, this isn’t an iPhone issue.

Nov 2, 2007 5:40 PM in response to JimmieChicago

Thanks all for this thread. I had been having the problem for a week, and decided to look it up here before calling AT&T on the evening of the 31st. Was on the phone with three techs until I got one who had heard of the issue. We did more experimentation with THEM calling me, so that they could see that even a call from AT&T was an unknown caller. I referred to this thread, and they gave me a case number. The next evening, the 1st, all seemed to be working again, and this morning I got a voicemail message AND a text message back from them that it is "resolved". Yay! (They also said that if there are any other problems to call at 1-800-331-0500.) They never did say exactly what the problem was, but I'm glad we all bugged them to take care of it.

halt00

Level 1

14 points

Oct 30, 2007 7:55 PM in response to JimmieChicago

Post feedback to:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone.html

If you experience this issue.

Oct 22, 2007 10:02 AM in response to JimmieChicago

I am solidly in ATT network area(Downtown Chicago)....I'm trying Restore now. Thanks.

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UNKNOWN caller in Visual Voicemail