Turn off voicemail

[Chuckc]

How can I TURN OFF voicemail? I need to turn it off, not just extend rings to answer after 30 seconds, nor simply not accept messages - I need it to never pick up. Can I REMOVE the feature somehow?

[kz1]

Thank you for the information. I have turned off my voicemail successfully. Just don't press 5 -this doesn't block callers but allows them to leave a voicemail. 

[gilthethethrill]

Hello

I decided to get my Mom's phone and follow the instructions you wonderful folks gave me.  Thanks again for all your help.

Gil

[pm-smayer97]

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@gilthethethrill wrote:

Hi

I do not have access to the phone to do these changes of settings!

Thx

Gil

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You can access voicemail settings by either dialing the cell phone # then let it go to voicemail and during the outgoing message press * OR dial any of the local voicemail access numbers from any phone...see list here: https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Discussions/Updated-list-of-Voicemail-Access-Numbers/...

Of course you need the voicemail password. If it is lost, it can be reset to the default setting of the cell phone # by using self-serve.

[Nezgar]

Thanks for the tag @dabr - @gilthethethrill :

Based on steps posted earlier in this thread by the moderator team, you can remotely change the settings to disable callers ability to leave her voicemail messages from another phone:

1. From any phone, call any one of the remote voicemail access numbers according to this updated list I posted here: https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Discussions/Updated-list-of-Voicemail-Access-Numbers/...
2. Press 1 for English
3. Enter your mothers 10-digit Public Mobile phone number followed by #
4. When you hear the voicemail announcement start, press * and enter your mothers voicemail PIN followed by pin
5. Select option 3 to “Manage your greetings”.
6. Select option 4 to “Manage your Extended Absence Greeting”.
7. Select option 2 to record an Extended Absence Greeting. (Can even just record dead air for 3 seconds)
8. Select option 4 to turn on Extended Absence Greeting.
9. Select option 5 to block callers from leaving a message after hearing the Extended Absence Greeting.

And done!

[dabr]

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@gilthethethrill wrote:

Hi

I do not have access to the phone to do these changes of settings!

Thx

Gil

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@gilthethethrill   That does make it more complicated, unfortunately, since I rarely use my voicemail other than to retrieve my messages, I can't offer any suggestions but I'll tag @Nezgar  who I notice seems to be the resident expert on all things voicemail around here, and hopefully he'll have some useful suggestions for you.   

Also wishing your mother a speedy recovery from her stay at the hospital. 

[gilthethethrill]

Hi

I do not have access to the phone to do these changes of settings!

Thx

Gil

[dabr]

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@gilthethethrill wrote:

Is there any way that I can get voicemail turned off on Public Mobile end?

I ask because my 92-year-old mother is in hospital and I can't get her phone to do this thread's recommendations to turn off voicemail.  COVID-19 lockdown.

Thanks,

Gil

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@gilthethethrill   Did you read @GinYVR  response with the link he posted?  Here  is the link that @srlawren  put together for a workaround solution.

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Getting-Started/Re-Disable-Voicemail/m-p/213805/highl...

[gilthethethrill]

Is there any way that I can get voicemail turned off on Public Mobile end?

I ask because my 92-year-old mother is in hospital and I can't get her phone to do this thread's recommendations to turn off voicemail.  COVID-19 lockdown.

Thanks,

Gil

[Anonymous]

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@GinYVR wrote:

@LieuxI thought changing the phone number in your case is just changing which number your phone dial to access your voice mail.. so eg if your number is 416 5555 1234, your phone will usually dial that to access voice mail.. but if you change it to 416 5555 1235 then your phone can't retrieve it.. it doesn't solve the problem of people leaving your messages though. People will still get to you.

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@Lieux wrote:

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@dabr wrote:

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@Lieux wrote:

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@Chuckc wrote:

How can I TURN OFF voicemail? I need to turn it off, not just extend rings to answer after 30 seconds, nor simply not accept messages - I need it to never pick up. Can I REMOVE the feature somehow?

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Someone suggested to change the phone number in your settings of your phone and you will never receive voicemail!! Depends on your phone model...

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But I wonder if the number you change to would mean someone else is going to get the headache of receiving unwanted calls from unknown callers...maybe that's the reason most for these spam callers:)

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Hi hi hi... it was something like that. 55555555555 a number impossible!

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I didn't interpret Lieux saying to change *accessing* the voicemail.

The idea that he was referring to is to change the call forwarding options. These options are usually picked up in the phone automatically from the provider except the always forward option.

There's forward when the phone is busy, forward when the phone isn't answered and forward when the phone is off or out of range. The provider would usually insert their voicemail access number in those options. This provider (probably everybody else) can even know which way the caller got to them and you can set a different greeting for each.

You can change these options to something else. This is the trick that is being suggested. Forward it to some non-existent number and a caller will never get to voicemail. They'll get a nasty error and you'll see that you missed a call but it won't get to voicemail.

[pm-smayer97]

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@GinYVR wrote:

@LieuxI thought changing the phone number in your case is just changing which number your phone dial to access your voice mail.. so eg if your number is 416 5555 1234, your phone will usually dial that to access voice mail.. but if you change it to 416 5555 1235 then your phone can't retrieve it.. it doesn't solve the problem of people leaving your messages though. People will still get to you.

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@Lieux wrote:

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@dabr wrote:

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@Lieux wrote:

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@Chuckc wrote:

How can I TURN OFF voicemail? I need to turn it off, not just extend rings to answer after 30 seconds, nor simply not accept messages - I need it to never pick up. Can I REMOVE the feature somehow?

---

Someone suggested to change the phone number in your settings of your phone and you will never receive voicemail!! Depends on your phone model...

---

But I wonder if the number you change to would mean someone else is going to get the headache of receiving unwanted calls from unknown callers...maybe that's the reason most for these spam callers:)

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Hi hi hi... it was something like that. 55555555555 a number impossible!

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That is exactly correct. That is what I jsut said a moment ago just below 😉   VVVV

[GinYVR]

@LieuxI thought changing the phone number in your case is just changing which number your phone dial to access your voice mail.. so eg if your number is 416 5555 1234, your phone will usually dial that to access voice mail.. but if you change it to 416 5555 1235 then your phone can't retrieve it.. it doesn't solve the problem of people leaving your messages though. People will still get to you.

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@Lieux wrote:

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@dabr wrote:

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@Lieux wrote:

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@Chuckc wrote:

How can I TURN OFF voicemail? I need to turn it off, not just extend rings to answer after 30 seconds, nor simply not accept messages - I need it to never pick up. Can I REMOVE the feature somehow?

---

Someone suggested to change the phone number in your settings of your phone and you will never receive voicemail!! Depends on your phone model...

---

But I wonder if the number you change to would mean someone else is going to get the headache of receiving unwanted calls from unknown callers...maybe that's the reason most for these spam callers:)

---

Hi hi hi... it was something like that. 55555555555 a number impossible!

---

[pm-smayer97]

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@Lieux wrote:

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@Chuckc wrote:

How can I TURN OFF voicemail? I need to turn it off, not just extend rings to answer after 30 seconds, nor simply not accept messages - I need it to never pick up. Can I REMOVE the feature somehow?

---

Someone suggested to change the phone number in your settings of your phone and you will never receive voicemail!! Depends on your phone model...

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That actualy does NOT prevent a caller from going to your voicemail....it only prevents YOU from accessing yoru voicemail if you press and hold "1" to get to your voicemail (the default shortcut to dial voicemail on all carriers).

That said, some phones have the ability to redirect calls when you are busy or do not answer to specific numbers. That is where you can use a fake # BUT be aware that this may cause you to use up minutes on a metered plan (because this would be using the phones call forwarding feature, which is different than the default going to voicemail that some people mistakenly name "call-forwarding"; though similar, they are actually not the same).

Otherwise, PM does NOT offer a way to completely turn off VM. The closest you can get is to prevent accepting a message using the Extended Absence Greeting feature.... AND your Extended Absence Greeting can be mostly blank... so they get a "pick-up" then a virtually immediate hang up. That is as close as you are going to get. 

[pm-smayer97]

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@srlawren wrote:

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...

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(Bold added be me for emphasis.).  @CS_Agent, please read carefully before responding.  

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Unfortunately, they rarely do... wasting a lot of time back and forth 😕

[pm-smayer97]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Well...apparently the mods are all caught up with the queue to be posting extraneous answers on a mostly dealt with thread.

Nice.

So ask away everybody with your autopay problems and your $10 credit texts. They're standing by.

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I wish that were true... They keep taking forever to reply to mine... 5days + often times, and sometimes I have to follow up and wait another 5 days +   😕

[computergeek541]

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@GomezAddams wrote:

The ONLY thing you can do is try to get a NEW PLAN.

Major problem they give the feature away for free with every account.

I am now looking at other carriers that I can pay for what I want.

Why piss off customers!? They are charging more money,
alot of people do not like it = A LOT OF CUSTOMERS WILL LEAVE

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Most of the plans these days will include some form of voicemail.  You won't save any money by not using it. In the past, some carriers have allowed customers to have features disabled/"excluded" from being active even though they were included.  I remember when Rogers had to disable Name Display for some people because their phones wouldn't ring.

[srlawren]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@GomezAddams wrote:

The ONLY thing you can do is try to get a NEW PLAN.

Major problem they give the feature away for free with every account.

I am now looking at other carriers that I can pay for what I want.

Why piss off customers!? They are charging more money,
alot of people do not like it = A LOT OF CUSTOMERS WILL LEAVE

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Over voicemail!? Do you pay less when you get a fast food burger that already comes with cheese and ask for no cheese? No. Do you pay less to not get a fortune cookie? No.

A couple options have been offered by others here.

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@Anonymous yeah, I have to agree with you.  @GomezAddams you're likely going to end up paying more for less elsewhere.  There are two options noted above:  1) record an extended absensce greeting saying you're not accepting voicemail messages, or 2) call forward to an invalid number like <your area code> 555-1212 to avoid calls ever reaching even an outgoing voicemail greeting.  

[Anonymous]

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@GomezAddams wrote:

The ONLY thing you can do is try to get a NEW PLAN.

Major problem they give the feature away for free with every account.

I am now looking at other carriers that I can pay for what I want.

Why piss off customers!? They are charging more money,
alot of people do not like it = A LOT OF CUSTOMERS WILL LEAVE

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Over voicemail!? Do you pay less when you get a fast food burger that already comes with cheese and ask for no cheese? No. Do you pay less to not get a fortune cookie? No.

A couple options have been offered by others here.

[GomezAddams]

The ONLY thing you can do is try to get a NEW PLAN.

Major problem they give the feature away for free with every account.

I am now looking at other carriers that I can pay for what I want.

Why piss off customers!? They are charging more money,
alot of people do not like it = A LOT OF CUSTOMERS WILL LEAVE

[srlawren]

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@CS_Agent wrote:

 Hello Chuck, 

I hope this helps:

1- Call your voicemail by holding the number 1 on your dial pad.
2- Select option 3 to “Manage your greetings”.
3- Select option 4 to “Manage your Extended Absence Greeting”.

4- Record an Extended Absence Greeting. (Just record dead air for 3 seconds)
4- Select option 4 to turn on Extended Absence Greeting.
5- Select option 5 to block callers from leaving a message after hearing the Extended Absence Greeting.

Have a great day.

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@CS_Agent while this is a great suggesiton (one I've made myself in the past Workaround for diabling Voicemail ), @Chuckc specifically said he didn't want to do this:

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@Chuckc wrote:

How can I TURN OFF voicemail? I need to turn it off, not just extend rings to answer after 30 seconds, nor simply not accept messages - I need it to never pick up. Can I REMOVE the feature somehow?

---

(Bold added be me for emphasis.).  @CS_Agent, please read carefully before responding.  

[Anonymous]

Well...apparently the mods are all caught up with the queue to be posting extraneous answers on a mostly dealt with thread.

Nice.

So ask away everybody with your autopay problems and your $10 credit texts. They're standing by.

[CS_Agent]

 Hello Chuck, 

I hope this helps:

1- Call your voicemail by holding the number 1 on your dial pad.
2- Select option 3 to “Manage your greetings”.
3- Select option 4 to “Manage your Extended Absence Greeting”.

4- Record an Extended Absence Greeting. (Just record dead air for 3 seconds)
4- Select option 4 to turn on Extended Absence Greeting.
5- Select option 5 to block callers from leaving a message after hearing the Extended Absence Greeting.

Have a great day.

[dabr]

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@Lieux wrote:

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@dabr wrote:

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@Lieux wrote:

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@Chuckc wrote:

How can I TURN OFF voicemail? I need to turn it off, not just extend rings to answer after 30 seconds, nor simply not accept messages - I need it to never pick up. Can I REMOVE the feature somehow?

---

Someone suggested to change the phone number in your settings of your phone and you will never receive voicemail!! Depends on your phone model...

---

But I wonder if the number you change to would mean someone else is going to get the headache of receiving unwanted calls from unknown callers...maybe that's the reason most for these spam callers:)

---

Hi hi hi... it was something like that. 55555555555 a number impossible!

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Haha...makes sense:)

[Lieux]

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@dabr wrote:

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@Lieux wrote:

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@Chuckc wrote:

How can I TURN OFF voicemail? I need to turn it off, not just extend rings to answer after 30 seconds, nor simply not accept messages - I need it to never pick up. Can I REMOVE the feature somehow?

---

Someone suggested to change the phone number in your settings of your phone and you will never receive voicemail!! Depends on your phone model...

---

But I wonder if the number you change to would mean someone else is going to get the headache of receiving unwanted calls from unknown callers...maybe that's the reason most for these spam callers:)

---

Hi hi hi... it was something like that. 55555555555 a number impossible!

[Anonymous]

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@dabr wrote:

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@Lieux wrote:

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@Chuckc wrote:

How can I TURN OFF voicemail? I need to turn it off, not just extend rings to answer after 30 seconds, nor simply not accept messages - I need it to never pick up. Can I REMOVE the feature somehow?

---

Someone suggested to change the phone number in your settings of your phone and you will never receive voicemail!! Depends on your phone model...

---

But I wonder if the number you change to would mean someone else is going to get the headache of receiving unwanted calls from unknown callers...maybe the reason most for these spam callers:)

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The idea is to forward to a bogus number like all 1's or something. The problem is that then any caller will eventually get a nasty recording and wonder if the line is invalid.

[dabr]

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@Lieux wrote:

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@Chuckc wrote:

How can I TURN OFF voicemail? I need to turn it off, not just extend rings to answer after 30 seconds, nor simply not accept messages - I need it to never pick up. Can I REMOVE the feature somehow?

---

Someone suggested to change the phone number in your settings of your phone and you will never receive voicemail!! Depends on your phone model...

---

But I wonder if the number you change to would mean someone else is going to get the headache of receiving unwanted calls from unknown callers...maybe that's the reason most for these spam callers:)

[Lieux]

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@Chuckc wrote:

How can I TURN OFF voicemail? I need to turn it off, not just extend rings to answer after 30 seconds, nor simply not accept messages - I need it to never pick up. Can I REMOVE the feature somehow?

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Someone suggested to change the phone number in your settings of your phone and you will never receive voicemail!! Depends on your phone model...

[GinYVR]

@Chuckcbesides the work around.. no there is no way to turn off the voicemail completely.