Setting up Voicemail

A voicemail allows your callers to leave you a message, in case you’re unavailable.

To set up a voicemail box. First login to the voip portal at https://voipportal.com.au/

Then click Voicemail on the left-hand menu (Marked in Yellow above), then click + New Voicemail Box and enter the mailbox details.

 

Voicemail Box Options

The Description field sets the display name for the mailbox, and should be set to something easily identifiable, for example, individual users’ Mailbox or Company Voicemail.

Greeting sets the message that is played to the caller before they’re prompted to leave a message. This list will show any available sounds on your service to select from. A new message can be added by selecting either New Sound (Record) or New Sound (Upload). If instead the greeting will be set from a handset dialling into the mailbox (using *97 or 50003), select User Recorded. Additionally, to set no greeting, if the caller will be reaching the mailbox via a sound event, set this to blank.

PIN sets the PIN number that’s required to login to the mailbox when dialling it from a handset to check voicemails or update the user recorded greeting.

SMS To is an optional field. If this is set to a mobile number, the server will transcribe the voice recording to text and send it as an SMS to the number entered here. To disable transcription, leave this field blank. NOTE: SMS message will be charged at plan rates.

Caller’s # as SMS Sender ID works with the above message transcription. This will show the text message as being received from the original caller’s number, making it easy to return their call from the mobile device.

Email To is an optional field. Setting this will send an email notification to the address specified when a voicemail is left in this mailbox.

Attach VM to email works with the above setting and, when enabled, attaches the audio file of the voicemail to the notification email.

Player Caller ID specifies if, when checking voicemails, the system should announce the original caller’s phone number

Play time of call specifies whether, when checking voicemails, the system should announce the time the voicemail was received.

Advanced Options

Play greeting then hangup will, instead of inviting the caller to leave a message, play the audio file specified in Greeting, then disconnect the call.

Retain Messages sets the maximum amount of time a voicemail message can remain in the mailbox before it is automatically deleted.

Auto mark as read will set any voicemails in the mailbox to read, instead of new.

Message transcription enables or disables the voice to text service, used for generating the voicemail previews

Shared Dial In Access, when enabled, allows for checking of the voicemail from a remote phone (eg. a mobile phone) by using one of the Shared in-dial access numbers

Once done, save your mailbox, then navigate to PBX Extensions or SIP Trunks, depending on your service type.

For any extensions that should be notified when a voicemail is left, click Edit for that extension, then in the Mailbox field, select the voicemail box you just created. This will present a message waiting indicator on a connected device, or a stutter dial tone when you have new messages.

To enable voicemail for incoming callers, edit any extensions that should forward to voicemail, then in the Divert field, select Busy/XX, where XX is the number of seconds it should try to call your extension before going to voicemail. In the Divert To field, select the mailbox you’ve just created, then click Update Extension.

Once complete, if your phone is busy, or if it is unanswered for the amount of time specified in the Divert field, the caller will be sent to your voicemail box to leave a message.

Voicemail to Text

What is Voicemail to Text

When you receive a voicemail, it will be automatically transcribed to text.This is a standard feature of the Voicemail offering and is provided at no additional cost.

The transcribed version of your messages can then be accessed as follows:

  • It is displayed in the Portal under the Voicemail menu
  • It can be sent to your mobile number as an SMS Message
  • It can be e-mailed to you, along with the audio recording (as an attachment)

Use Cases

This feature makes it much easier to browse through your voicemails. It’s often much quicker and easier to read a message than it is to listen to the recording.

Can I still access the audio recordings for my messages?

Absolutely! The recordings are still available via:

  • Download from the Portal
  • As an attachment to e-mail
  • By calling the Voicemail Number – see Dialling Codes

Enabling and Disabling Voicemail to Text

This option is controlled from the Voicemail Setup screen.