Live voicemail

[rky]

Hi

Does anyone know if live voicemail can work with three?

 

[Anonymous]

Heard of it (and gathered it was going to be enabled with iOS 17) but as Three don’t even support visual voicemail I think the answer is no.

[rky · Accepted solution]

I am pleased to inform you that I have successfully enabled visual voicemail with my iPhone, even with Three, which does not typically support this feature. Here's how I achieved it:

1. Go to Settings > General > Region.
2. Set the region to the United States.
3. Restart your iPhone.
4. Make a test call to your number from another phone.
5. You will see a voicemail button on the call screen. Click it.
6. The caller will be prompted to record a voicemail. As they speak, their words will appear on the screen, allowing you to either answer the call or ignore it.
7. After the caller finishes recording, you will receive a visual voicemail notification. You can view the voicemail transcript, play the voicemail, delete it, or share it. All visual voicemail features will be available.

For your information, I have deactivated the standard voicemail service on my number since Three does not support visual voicemail. Despite this, the live voicemail feature works because it is managed solely by the iPhone. I deactivated the standard voicemail as I plan to travel abroad without an international roaming package and do not want to incur charges. After returning, I will reactivate the standard voicemail service.

Please note that if your normal voicemail service is active, you will need to verify whether this method works for you. If it does, we may have finally resolved the issue of visual voicemail not being available on Three for the past 15 years.

[rky]

 
here is the proof once it’s recorded it will be shown like this

[rky]

I used a VoIP call app to make the test call to my iPhone since I don't have another SIM in my Android device. The app uses WiFi and generates a random caller ID, which is why the screenshot shows Belgium. When you try this method, you will likely be very pleased, as it resolves the visual voicemail issue with Three.

[rky]

 

LIVE VOICEMAIL DURING INTERNATIONAL ROAMING
Another piece of good news is that this trick should work while I am in India. By using this voicemail method, the call duration does not start, and the iPhone manages everything without actually receiving the call.

This means there will be no international roaming charges for incoming calls handled by the iPhone system, as the call duration is not recorded. I am 99% confident about this, but I will confirm once I test it in non-Go Roam countries like India. If I do incur charges, I will update this thread to advise against using this method while on international roaming where incoming calls are not free.

[Bigmama0072004]

just tried it now with the standard voicemail service turned on and it works

[21535]

It works for me on iOS 18 beta

[skysilver99]

Are these the downsides?

If you set your iPhone's region to the USA while living in the UK, there are a few potential issues you might encounter:

1. App Store and Availability: The App Store may show US-specific apps, offers, and features, but some UK apps might not be available, and you could lose access to certain apps tied to UK accounts.

2. Currency and Payments: Your App Store and in-app purchases may be displayed in US dollars rather than pounds, which can cause complications with billing. Credit cards linked to UK banks may not work for purchases unless they are enabled for international use.

3. Content Restrictions: Some apps and services, like streaming platforms (Netflix, Apple TV), might offer different content based on region. You may miss out on certain UK shows or films due to region-specific licensing agreements.

4. Siri and Time Settings: Siri might offer US-based recommendations and not UK-specific info, such as weather or local businesses. Additionally, time zones will need to be adjusted manually to reflect UK time if you set your region to the USA.

5. Carrier Settings: Your mobile network settings, especially those tied to UK carriers, may not function optimally, possibly affecting things like call quality, data speed, or network availability.

6. News and Notifications: You may receive notifications tailored to US-based news, sports, and other services rather than those for the UK.