wife wants "answering machine flashing light" for

Posts: 17 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Mar 16, 2005 Posts: 17

OK, my wife is a little old fashioned and wants the 'flashing red light" that used to show up on the answering machine before we got Vonage. I dont want the answering machine back. I already canned it.
I know you can tell my picking up the phone if there are new messages. But is there a device I could build or buy that would show or indicate if there are new messages?

-stuck in the past

Posts: 32 · Vonage Forum Junior Joined: May 08, 2006 Posts: 32

Yes, a whole bunch out there at Best Buy or Circuit City. I use Uniden's phone with built in answering machine myself, it has like you said, flashing red light with number indicating how many messages you have. Just disable your voice mail with Vonage.

Posts: 17 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Mar 16, 2005 Posts: 17

Thanks for the response. Maybe I should have made my request more specific. I do not want to disable the Vonage voicemail.

Posts: 426 · Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 3:48 pm Post subject:

Just an idea. If you decide to go back to an answering device.

Instead of disabling the voice mail on VONAGE, set the wait time to say 1 minute. If the power goes off, or the answering device mal-functions you will be able to receive messages. (There may not be a flashing light, but you will still have a way to receive delayed calls).

Of course, there are telephone(s) with message wait lights, if you do not wish to purchase another answering device.

Posts: 13 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Oct 18, 2005 Posts: 13

probably not the answer you want, but i might as well point that...

the ip8100-1 will do that (flash when you have new messages) -- it costs $100 at circuit city (it has a $100 rebate for new activations which probably won't help you).

Each additional handset (ip811) is $50 each.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/Search.do?c=1&context=&keyword=ip8100&searchSection=All&go.x=0&go.y=0

Posts: 56 · Full Forum Member Joined: Mar 15, 2006 Posts: 56

You can get phones at Target that are just phones without awnsering machines, but they have a voicemail light, and when there is a voicemail. the phone somehow sees it, & the light flashes. I think the one I have it a motoroa. It was like $40

Posts: 1424 · Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 9:29 am Post subject:

Many inexpensive caller id boxes also have a built in message waiting light. My cheap lucent cordless does as well.

There are also stand alone message waiting lights available on eBay for about $20 after shipping.

Posts: 3 · Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 10:52 am Post subject:

It's called a voicemail waiting indicator. Most new phones have it these days and it works with VoIP and your traditional land-line telephone service. When you buy a new phone, just check the features on the box.

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 20, 2006 Posts: 5

They work well, my Uniden phone has it and it wokes great with Vonage.

Posts: 2257 · Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 12:26 pm Post subject:

This gentleman sells dedicated voice mail indicators:

http://www.sandman.com/messwait.html

(NOTE: In order to support this, Vonage has to send FSK data in addition to the stutter tone they already send. I believe Vonage is doing this, but I'm not sure).