Is it possible to have a voicemail but not accept any messages?

[stujack]

Hi,

I'm currently living abroad but maintain my UK number. I have an issue where I keep getting voicemail messages left from spam/bots/fraud etc.

It's becoming quite frustrating having to call my voicemail and pay to listen to fake messages.

So I was wondering... is there a way I can play my voicemail message:

"Sorry I'm currently out of the country, please send me a text or an email and I'll get back to you"

and then have no capability for any message to be left by a caller?

or is my only option to disable my voicemail so that my phone never goes to voicemail and anyone important will send a text or email anyway. Or they are in my contacts so I can contact them anyway.

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

[BandOfBrothers]

Hi @stujack 

I appreciate what your wanting here but the Vodafone Voicemail does not give that option.

How-do-I-check-my-voicemail. 

And Vodafone has Slam Down Notifications as discussed in Slam-Down-Notifications-Can-you-use-them-when-you-have-VM-turned. 

[stujack]

Hi,

You've confirmed what I thought, seems it's time to permanently disable my voicemail.

Slam Down Notifications won't work either as lots of them leave a computer message rather than just hanging up.

Thanks for the fast and helpful response.

[AnnS · Accepted solution]

Hi @stujack 

Vodafone do offer the service you are looking for in Voicemail settings.  You will be needing the extended absence greeting, this will enable callers to hear your recording without being able to leave you a message.

You can enable the feature through your voicemail settings through options 1 for the main menu > personal greetings >  4 manage temporary greeting > 5 manage extended absence greeting > option 6 to disable and revert to your main greeting.   Once set up you will have the following

2 listen to greeting,  3 rerecord greeting, 4 delete greeting, 5 enable greeting, 6 disable temporary greeting and revert back to personal greeting.

I would recommend calling 121 and following the prompts, to set up your extended absence greeting.

Hope this will work from abroad for you.

[stujack]

That's great!

I was happy to just have it disabled, but now I've got it permanently set to:

"Hello, I've got my voicemail disabled, however if you'd like to send me a text, I'll be sure to get back to you, thanks"

Friend just tested for me and it's working as I'd hoped.

Rings, they hear the message, then it ends the call.

I use Skype to call my Voicemail from Abroad. If anyone else is needing to do this from what I remember I had to have a PIN on my voicemail before leaving the UK.

Then once abroad with a little Skype credit, I can call Vodafone voicemail on: +447836121121

My phone number and PIN then give me access to my mailbox from anywhere. 

Thankfully with this new setting I'll now rarely or never be having to do this!

Thanks for the information and help!