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
I'm also disappointed and frustrated by this, it is genuinely enough of a deal breaker that I'm looking at alternative 30 day contract options.
Visual Voicemail becomes even more useful in the next major iOS release with a feature called Live Voicemail - you'll be able to screen voice mail calls and decide if you want to pick up, as it will do text-to-speech to type out what the person is saying! So useful for rejecting spam calls, or jumping on an important call that you didn't have the caller's number saved for.
https://appleinsider.com/inside/ios-17/tips/how-to-use-live-voicemail-in-ios-17
Respectfully, that's an assumption on your part, both that the cost of implementing this would need to be passed onto customers, and that "the vast majority" of customers wouldn't want it. 🙂
Smarty have added features before without increasing costs for customers, such as WiFi Calling, 4G calling and free WiFi on the London Underground. I doubt many customers were clamoring for those either, but I'm sure those in poor signal areas now find them valuable.
If cost is a concern, they could offer it as an Add-On, although it is included at no extra cost on most other networks (including other 30 day contract providers) and will only become more valuable with the upcoming Live Voicemail feature.
Just jumping on the bandwagon with this one. Visual voicemail isn't some new feature that's owned by one provider. Is there any update on this LouisK? The whole calling a number from a text thing and actually having to listen to each voicemail is not great.
PS. I know I can skip etc, but that's not the point.
After switching I am very dissappointed to discover that visual voicemail is not standard. I will be reconsidering my provider.
Just moved over from O2 to Smarty and cant believe that Visual Voicemail is not being offered 😞
Same. It's quite a big deal and I will be going back.
It's about time the networks in the UK implemented some of the basic functionality you can get in other countries. Visual voicemail has been around in the US for years.
Matthew_1445656 ..and how much do they pay for a one month contract with no strings? If the main, expensive networks in the UK do not offer it, I cannot see the value-for-money networks like smarty being in a position to offer it.
Why is it so important? Isn't it just important that you know what the message was?
I have just moved to Smarty bringing my family’s plans across too. I just assumed visual voicemail would be available as I have had it with every network provider for the last 10 years. If this isn’t introduced then I don’t think I’ll be staying very long, it’s not the innovative network it claims to be and the chat only customer service is dire.
DaemonB_2706859 Not sure what any of us can advise here really. If that feature is important to you, then unfortunately I suppose you will need to move to a network that does offer it.
While I take your point, the fact is that for many of us it is not important and we are satisfied with the service provided t a very reasonable price without being locked into a long contract.
Without this there is also no way to retrieve deleted voicemails, as unlike other providers there is not an option to listen to recently deleted when you dial voicemail.
This might not seem that important but trust me it becomes a lot more so when someone dies and there is no way to retrieve their last message.
I’ve gone round and round with the terrible customer service about this as they keep telling me to check the visual voicemail, which isn’t even a service they offer.
SarahW I do understand your disappointment in such circumstances.
However, it's not like Smarty ever advertised that this service was available, to be fair.
This may be a cost issue - I'm not sure. If it is, then it's important to realise that this company is pitched at customers who want a no-frills, no long contracts, reasonably priced service.
