Smart voicemail

Hello Txmimi827,

Thank you for posting in the Apple Support Communities. We understand that you have some questions about using voicemail features on your iPhone, and we're here for you.

Was smart voicemail a feature you had with your carrier? We ask because your carrier might be able to provide additional information since voicemail is a carrier feature.

On the other hand, if you're wanting to use Silence Unknown Callers, that feature sends unknown and spam callers straight to voicemail, and can be found in Settings > Phone > Silence Unknown Callers. The iPhone User Guide explains this option in more detail: Avoid unwanted calls on iPhone.

Additionally, if you decline a call, you might have the option to send them straight to voicemail or reply with a text message. A visual guide and additional details can be found here: Answer or decline incoming calls on iPhone.

We hope this information is useful. Kind regards.

I am not sure who carrier is (I am Rogers) however what I did was when I activated my line a few years ago it asked me to leave a message that people would hear telling them to leave a message. If you want you can call your carrier and I am sure they can help you with this.