Voicemail

  • Updated on November 7, 2023

Voicemail is a centralized service used in businesses for sending, storing, and retrieving audio messages. When a user is busy or not available, the caller will listen to a prompt message that contains instructions to leave a voice message to the callee so that they can check it later when available again. The voicemail system also notifies users about new voicemails received to their box and they can access it via their extensions using feature codes or from the user portal.

Voicemail systems make a Phone System more flexible and powerful by allowing information and messages to pass between users even when one of them is not present.

In this document, the UCM6xxx includes UCM62xx, UCM6510, UCM63xx series, and UCM630x Audio Series.

Voicemail Configuration

In order to start receiving voicemail, Users need to configure their voicemail settings and preferences and enable voicemail at the extension level.

Global Configuration

The configurations of the voicemail can be globally set up and managed under Web GUI🡪Call Features🡪Voicemail.

Voicemail Settings

The table below provides a description of the voicemail settings:

Max Greeting Time (s)

Configure the maximum number of seconds for the voicemail greeting. The default setting is 60 seconds.

Dial ‘0’ For Operator

If enabled, the caller can press 0 to exit the voicemail application and connect to the configured operator’s extension.

Operator Type

Configure the operator type; either an extension or a ring group.

Operator Extension

Select the operator extension, which will be dialed when users press 0 to exit voicemail application. The operator extension can also be used in IVR.

Max Messages Per Folder

Configure the maximum number of messages per folder in users’ voicemail. The valid range 10 to 1000. The default setting is 50.

Max Message Time

Select the maximum duration of the voicemail message. The message will not be recorded if the duration exceeds the max message time. The default setting is 15 minutes. The available options are:

  • 1 minute

  • 2 minutes

  • 5 minutes

  • 15 minutes

  • 30 minutes

  • Unlimited

Note: Silence and noise duration are not counted in message time.

Announce Message Caller-ID

If enabled, the caller ID of the user who has left the message will be announced at the beginning of the voicemail message. The default setting is “No”.

Announce Message Duration

If enabled, the message duration will be announced at the beginning of the voicemail message. The default setting is “No”.

Play Envelope

If enabled, a brief introduction (received time, received from, and etc.) of each message will be played when accessed from the voicemail application.

Play Most Recent First

If enabled, it will play the most recent message first.

Allow User Review

If enabled, users can review the message following the IVR before sending.

Voicemail Remote Access

If enabled, external callers routed by DID and reaching VM will be prompted by the UCM with 2 options:

  • Press 1 to leave a message.

To leave a message for the extension reached by DID.

  • Press 2 to access voicemail management system.

This will allow the caller to access any extension voicemail after entering the extension number and its voicemail password.
Note: This option applies to inbound calls routed by DID only. The default setting is "Disabled".

Forward Voicemail to Peered UCMs

Enables the forwarding of voicemail to remote extensions on peered SIP trunks.

The default setting is "Disabled".

Voicemail to Peered UCMs

Enables the forwarding of voicemail to remote extensions on peered SIP trunks.
The default setting is "Disabled".

Voicemail Password

Configures the default password that will be used when an extension is reset.

Format

  • GSM

  • WAV

Important Note: WAV files take significantly more storage space than GSM files.

Resetting an extension will reset Voicemail Password, Send Voicemail to Email, and Keep Voicemail after Emailing values to default. Previous custom voicemail prompts and messages will be deleted.

Extension Voicemail Configuration

Users can enable Voicemail for an extension under Extensions Settings 🡪 Basic Settings for it to be able to receive voicemails when busy or unavailable.

Enable Voicemail

When skip Voicemail Password Verification is enabled, Users could access the extension voicemail box without having to enter their password. This is not recommended.

Access Voicemail

Users have multiple ways to access their voicemail box, It could be either via Feature codes from their extension or another internal extension, From the user portal or from an external device.

Using Feature Codes

If the voicemail is enabled for UCM630X extensions, Users can access their extension’s voicemail by dialing the voicemail access number (by default *97). The users will be prompted to enter the voicemail password and then can enter digits from the phone keypad to navigate in the IVR menu for different options.

Otherwise, users can access to another extension’s voicemail by dialing the voicemail access code (by default *98) followed by the extension number and password in order to access to that specific extension’s voicemail.The below table is describing the Voicemail IVR menu and the different voicemail operations that can be achieved:

Main Menu

Sub Menu 1

Sub Menu 2

1 – New messages

3 - Advanced options

1 - Send a reply

2 - Call the person who sent this message

3 - Hear the message envelop

4 - Leave a message

* - Return to the main menu

5 - Repeat the current message

7 - Delete this message

8 - Forward the message to another user

9 – Save

* - Help

# - Exit

2 – Change folders

0 - New messages

1 - Old messages

2 - Work messages

3 - Family messages

4 - Friend messages

# - Cancel

3 – Advanced options

1 - Send a reply

2 - Call the person who sent this message

3 - Hear the message envelop

4 - Leave a message

* - Return to the main menu

0 – Mailbox options

1 - Record your unavailable message

1 - Accept this recording

2 - Listen to it

3 - Re-record your message

2 - Record your busy message

1 - Accept this recording

2 - Listen to it

3 - Re-record your message

3 - Record your name

1 - Accept this recording

2 - Listen to it

3 - Re-record your message

4 - Record temporary greeting

1 - Accept this recording

2 - Listen to it

3 - Re-record your message

5 - Change your password

* - Return to the main menu

From User Portal

Users can also access their voicemail from the UCM6xxx’s user portal that can be accessed using the extension’s credentials and then navigate to Personal Data 🡪 Voicemail.

Voicemail section in user portal

In this section users can download and delete voicemails, mark them as read by selecting the voicemail files and pressing on “Mark as Read”. Users can also upload customized voice prompts under the “Voicemail Prompt” page and upload a prompt for each status.

Note:

Available voice prompts are:

  • Busy: This voicemail prompt will only be played when the callee’s extension is unregistered.
  • Unavail: This voicemail prompt will only be played when the callee’s extension is unregistered.
  • Temp: Highest priority. This voicemail prompt well be played in all scenarios when it is configured (unregistered, unanswered/ring timeout, busy, DND).
  • Greet: This voicemail prompt will be played when the callee does not answer within their ring timeout period. Priority: Temporary Prompt > Busy Prompt/Unavailable Prompt > Greet Prompt.

The priority is “temp > busy/unavail > greet”.

Sounds file must be PCM encoded, 16 bits at 8000Hz mono with mp3/wav format or raw ulaw/alaw/gsm file with .mp3/.wav/.ulaw/.alaw/.gsm suffix. The file size must be less than 5MB.

Voicemail prompt customization

From an External Device

Users can also access the voicemail management system from an external device, this can be achieved by navigating to Call Features 🡪Voicemail 🡪 Voicemail and enable Voicemail Remote Access.

Voicemail remote access

When Voicemail remote access is enabled, external callers routed by DID and reaching voicemail will be prompted by the UCM with 2 options:

  • Press 1 to leave a message.

To leave a message for the extension reached by DID.

  • Press 2 to access voicemail management system.

This will allow the caller to access any extension VM after entering the extension number and its VM password.

This option applies to inbound calls routed by DID only. The default setting is “Disabled”.

Leave a Voicemail

If an extension has voicemail enabled under basic settings “Extension/Trunk 🡪 Extensions 🡪 Basic Settings” and after a ring timeout or user is not available, the caller will be automatically redirected to the voicemail in order to leave a message on which case they can press # in order to submit the message.

In case the caller is calling from an internal extension, they will be directly forwarded to the extension’s voicemail box. But if the caller is calling from outside the system and the incoming call is routed by DID to the destination extension, then the caller will be prompted with the choice to either press 1 to leave a message for the called extension. This feature could be useful for remote voicemail administration.

Voicemail to Email

Voicemail Email Settings

The UCM630X can be configured to send the voicemail as an attachment to the Email. Under Call features 🡪 Voicemail Click on the “Voicemail Email Settings” button to configure the Email attributes and content.

Voicemail Email Settings

The table below provides a description of the voicemail email settings:

Send Voicemail to Email

If enabled, voicemail will be sent to the user’s email address. Note: SMTP server must be configured to use this option.

Keep Voicemail after Emailing

Enable this option if you want to keep recording files after the Email is sent. The default setting is Enable.

Email Template

Fill in the “Subject:” and “Message:” content, to be used in the Email when sending to the user. The template variables are:

  • t: TAB

  • ${VM_NAME}: Recipient’s first name and last name

  • ${VM_DUR}: The duration of the voicemail message

  • ${VM_MAILBOX}: The recipient’s extension

  • ${VM_CALLERID}: The caller ID of the person who has left the message

  • ${VM_MSGNUM}: The number of messages in the mailbox

  • ${VM_DATE}: The date and time when the message is left

Click on the “Email Template” button to view the default template as an example.

Voicemail Email Template

Users can customize the default voicemail email template under Email Settings 🡪 Email Template 🡪 Edit Voicemail Template. Users can customize the message both on text and HTML format to their preference and taking advantage of the template variables.

Voicemail Email Template

Email Notification

In order to receive an email notification about received voicemail, users need to enable it at the extension level and choose whether to attach the voicemail to the email and also whether to keep the local voicemail recording after sending them.

Email Notification settings

Email SMTP settings need to be pre-configured under System Settings 🡪 Email Settings in order to be able to send emails to specified email address.

The table below provides a description of the settings needed for Voicemail email sending:

Send Voicemail Email Notification

Configures whether or not to send emails to the extension’s email address to notify of new voicemail.

Attach Voicemail to Email

Configures whether or not to attach voicemail audio file to the voicemail notification emails.

Note: When set to “Default”, the global settings in Call Features 🡪 Voicemail 🡪 Voicemail Email Settings will be used.

Keep Voicemail after Emailing

Whether to keep the local voicemail recording after sending them. If set to “Default”, the global settings will be used.

Note: When set to “Default”, the global settings in Call Features 🡪 Voicemail 🡪 Voicemail Email Settings will be used.

Table 4: Email Notification settings

When the Voicemail email notification is enabled, users will receive voicemail email notifications to the email address specified under the extension basic settings. Below is an example of an email received with the Voicemail attached:

Voicemail Email Received

Voicemail Group

The UCM6XXX supports the voicemail group and all the extensions added in the group will receive the voicemail to the group extension. The voicemail group can be configured under Web GUI 🡪 Call Features 🡪 Voicemail 🡪 Voicemail Group. Click on “Add” to configure the group.

Users could dial the voicemail group extension (6600 in the example below) in order to access this group’s voicemail box.

Voicemail Group

Extension

Enter the Voicemail Group Extension. The voicemail messages left to this extension will be forwarded to all the voicemail group members.

Name

Configure the Name to identify the voicemail group. Letters, digits, _ and - are allowed.

Voicemail Password

Configure the voicemail password for the users to check voicemail messages.

Email Address

Configure the Email address for the voicemail group extension.

Member

Select available mailboxes from the left list and add them to the right list. The extensions need to have voicemail enabled to be listed in available mailboxes list.

Busy Prompt (only for UCM63xx)

This voicemail prompt will be played when the callee is in another call or when he/she is in DND mode. Priority: Temporary Prompt > Busy Prompt/Unavailable Prompt > Greet Prompt

Sound file must be PCM encoded, 16 bits at 8000Hz mono with mp3/wav format, or raw ulaw/alaw/gsm file with .mp3/.wav/.ulaw/.alaw/.gsm suffix. The file size must be less than 5MB.

Greet Prompt

(only for UCM63xx)

This voicemail prompt will be played when the callee does not answer within their ring timeout period. Priority: Temporary Prompt > Busy Prompt/Unavailable Prompt > Greet Prompt

Sound file must be PCM encoded, 16 bits at 8000Hz mono with mp3/wav format, or raw ulaw/alaw/gsm file with .mp3/.wav/.ulaw/.alaw/.gsm suffix. The file size must be less than 5MB.

Temporary Prompt

(only for UCM63xx)

This voicemail prompt will be played in all scenarios when it is configured (unregistered, unanswered/ring timeout, busy, DND). Priority: Temporary Prompt > Busy Prompt/Unavailable Prompt > Greet Prompt

Sound file must be PCM encoded, 16 bits at 8000Hz mono with mp3/wav format, or raw ulaw/alaw/gsm file with .mp3/.wav/.ulaw/.alaw/.gsm suffix. The file size must be less than 5MB.

Unavailable Prompt

(only for UCM63xx)

This voicemail prompt will be played when user enters voicemail. Priority: Temporary Prompt > Busy Prompt/Unavailable Prompt > Greet Prompt

Sound file must be PCM encoded, 16 bits at 8000Hz mono with mp3/wav format, or raw ulaw/alaw/gsm file with .mp3/.wav/.ulaw/.alaw/.gsm suffix. The file size must be less than 5MB.

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