Forum Discussion
Visual Voicemail
Any plans for Visual Voicemail for SMARTY and any other networks that use the 3 network infrastructure? Voicemail is quite 1990s in that it delivers a text with a just a phone number, so you have to dial voicemail in order to identify who the caller actually is? Most of the other networks in the UK now offer this feature (or hybrid notification by icon and caller info). 3 network in Hong Kong have visual voicemail, so why doesn’t the UK have this feature?
46 Replies
- William_1400116SMARTY Maverick22-01-2026
Okay wait , here is the sad reply from the official website.
help.smarty.co.uk/en/articles/952741-setting-up-voicemail
Do you support visual voicemail? 👀
We don't support visual voicemail right now, but if that changes, we'll keep you updated.
--
So my understanding is that Apple is bypassing the limitation by calling Voicemail for you reading and downloading and transcribing the message. Props to Apple.
- William_1400116SMARTY Maverick22-01-2026
Hello from recent switch to Android Test with a SMARTY SIM and Latest Google Pixel 10 Pro. Visual voicemail is NO LONGER working and I am pretty cross.
To be clear it worked fine on an iPhone 15 Pro with the same eSIM setup.
It could well be that the iPhone is downloading the voicemails all by itself, but I note in the Pixel 10 Pro 'switch on Visual Voicemail' setting it just does not allow switching ON.
Comments smart please and I did read multiple APOLOGETIC and AOOLOGIST posts saying not at this time from years ago, so a formal message from SMARTY as to it supported would be welcomed.
- GeoffDo_2890874SMARTY Enquirer21-08-2024
I'll add my vote for Visual Voicemail too - it cannot be hard to implement if the 3 network has it in place generally. Happy to pay extra for it if needed too - it is a very handy function!
- WelshPaulSMARTY Centurion21-08-2024
Three doesn’t have visual voicemail, and if they haven’t implemented it after all these years, they never will.
- kibblewhiteSMARTY Maverick23-07-2024
I would greatly appreciate visual voicemail, that's a vote from me too.
- IrishadoSMARTY Pioneer24-04-2024
I’d prefer to disable voicemail completely
- Richard_2395043SMARTY Rookie19-11-2023
Another vote from me for Visual Voicemail. I just assumed that in 2023 it would be standard to support it.
And yes, if I find a competitive offer that offers it then I’d switch.
- MSFSMARTY Guru20-11-2023
Richard_2395043 You must accept that, for many customers, this is not a deal-breaker.
A lot of us are more interested in a good value-for-money network that allows us to call, send messages and use some internet.
It's a case of "gorses for courses" and I do understand that there are some who have different priorities.
- PaulLLoydJohnsoSMARTY Commentator15-06-2024
You must accept that for a lot of people this feature is important. You don’t need to comment on everyone’s posts requesting it, to tell them it isn’t that important. Just because it’s not important to you doesn’t mean it’s not necessary. Stop being so patronising.
- NeilLen_1730019SMARTY Pioneer16-10-2023
So when iOS 17 launched my Voicemail went from "call your voicemail" to a visual voicemail instead. I was pretty happy with this as it's so much easier to see your messages and call logs in a list, playable on demand.
Some weeks later though, it's reverted and i now have to call my voicemail to retrieve messages...
I can still play some visual voicemails I received post iOS17 installation though, these are still viewable and playable. But any new voicemail now doesn't show, and i have to call up to hear it.
Anyone know why this is?
- SmartyTrousersSMARTY Centurion23-09-2024
Late reply, I know, but this will be because you switched from a network that supported Apple's Visual Voicemail feature to one that didn't.
- jassinghSMARTY Motivator14-09-2023
Is this like a feature only on iOS or is it on Android as well? I've only seen a lot of hype for this from iOS users though .. I don't think my Android supports a live voicemail feature like this 🤔
- JJP2SMARTY Pro-coach15-09-2023
Hi jassingh
Visual Voicemail has been available since Android 6 Marshmallow, but is not widely available, nor known about for some reason.
‘Thumbtel”, a London based company, offer a paid app called “HulloMail” available for both Android and iOS, which is a very capable replacement for iOS Visual Voicemail.
- AllanMSMARTY Pioneer14-09-2023
The lack of this feature is the only one that is making me consider leaving Smarty. Making it a £1/month add-on would be fine too.
- JJP2SMARTY Pro-coach15-09-2023
Have a look at “Hullomail” from the London based “Thumbtel”
Its good
- JeremyB_1719109SMARTY Maverick23-09-2024
I was a long time free user of Hullomail then started paying when transcription was kind of new. Love the system but at £2.99 per month for 10 voicemails or £4.99 for unlimited it's not IMHO worth that much. The free tier showed you who called (integrated with my contacts) and you had a playable message already available on your phone. I'd pay £1 for that bit I don't want the premium transcription.
A £1 add-on from SMARTY would be very welcome option. No frills needed, just a list of messages and their phone number instead of having to phone in 'blind' and listen to the whole of a phone number that it will be nearly impossible to remember before getting to the message.
If this was 2001 again that would still be sub par.
- pjmwSMARTY Pioneer13-08-2023
+1 I'd love this functionality