Using voicemail instead of an answering machine

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 13, 2005 Posts: 4

We have a Uniden digital answering machine on our Vonage line. Our difficulty is that after it receives a call, it fails to recognize that the other party has hung up, and fills up its memory with a fast busy signal. Even when it recorded a message it was very difficult to hear. So it basically is useless. I want to replace it, and I wonder if the newer phones that have message lights can work with my Vonage service.

We have a Cisco ATA 186 adapter plugged into the house wiring, with three phones plugged in around the house (including the answering machine) and of course the landline is disconnected. I've seen references to the Uniden TRC 8860 that seem to do this--will they work with the Cisco adapter?

Posts: 222 · Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 7:39 pm Post subject:

Unless you are using the answering machine for call screening so that you can hear the message and decide whether to take the call, I would recommend just using Vonage's voicemail system.

As you may know, you can listen to Vonage voicemail either from a handset (including from a different phone number remotely) or on your account page at Vonage's web site or you can have Vonage email you audio files with your voicemail messages. The emails are especially nice, because they show you in text the number that made the call, so you can decide whether to listen to a message or not -- and you can listen to the messages in order of importance to you rather than just in the order they were received. (I hate listening to three magazine sales people before I get to an important message.)

Fletcher

Posts: 508 · Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 7:42 pm Post subject:

I am using the linksys router, and if I have voicemail waiting I get a tone instead of a dial tone and that sets off a light on my uniden phone as well.. I imagine your adapter will do that same..

what i like about the voicemail, is that you can check it form anywhere, cuz there are local access numbers in most cities that you can call, and from those numbers you can either chekc your VM or you can send a msg to your phone, or to someone elses.. nice if you want to send a msg but not have the person's phone ring.. plus you can set up e-mail notification if you want and even select your cell phones e-mail address to send to, and you could recieve a notification that way.. or just forward the call in teh first place.. Wink

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 13, 2005 Posts: 4

Yes, I'm looking to replace the Uniden answering machine with a cordless phone without an answering machine. But I want a message light to let us know a message was recorded. We get maybe a message a day, and check the web site maybe once a month. Smile

So do the phones that have voicemail message lights get triggered by Vonage, and is that supported through a Cisco ATA 186?

Posts: 3198 · Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 8:36 pm Post subject:

there are two ways to alert a phone of voicemail. FSK and stutter tone. from what I've read, the cisco did not support FSK in the past. whether this was a hardware or firmware limitation I don't know. if it was a firmware issue, it's likely corrected now as vonage does support both FSK and stutter tone. if it was a hardware limitation, you need either a phone that supports stutter tone, or a new TA.

Posts: 21 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Apr 26, 2004 Posts: 21

I'm using the Uniden TRU8885, with answering machine and 3 corless 5.8GHZ handsets with the Cisco 186 adaptor.
Have never had any worries with the messages or interference.
If my DSL is down call goes directly to Voicemail and I get stutter tone and email notification.
Works great

Posts: 36 · Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 8:51 pm Post subject: answering machine

I have had the same Bell South phone for 3 plus years, and for the last two it's message-waiting indicator has functioned.

I personally haven't considered answering machines again.
I avoid them. Vonage does it for me and
I don't have to buy yet another gadget.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 13, 2005 Posts: 4

This is all very helpful. It sounds like the stutter tone works with the Cisco ATA 186. But you have to pick up the handset to check, yes? The stutter tone doesn't light up the MWI, right?

And does FSK work with the ATA 186 and a phone that supports it? I don't see here or in other threads anyone who reports that as working.

Posts: 426 · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:45 am Post subject:

Hope this helps, most answering devices wait for the disconnect tone from the telco (called CAP). To my knowledge, Vonage's system does not generate the tone.

Since no tone, the answering device does not know to disconnect.

Posts: 4 · New Forum Member Joined: Feb 13, 2005 Posts: 4

To answer my own specific question, I got a new Uniden phone with VMWI triggered by FSK, and it works fine with a Cisco ATA 186.

Much better all around than the answering machine.