Voicemail has new new messages. - When travelling abroad (Portugal)

[tyzer007]

I have Visual Voicemail active for my iOS device

(iPhone 11 Pro/iOS 15.0)

When I am travelling abroad (in Portugal) I get a daily message via SMS:

"Voicemail has new new messages. Please dial 121 or +447836121121"

I never get voicemail messages. And I don't want to be interrupted every day with this message. This does NOT happen when I am in UK - only when I am abroad.

How can I turn this off?

Thank you!

Troy

[tyzer007]

Hello,

Yesterday I followed your instructions and turned off Visual Voicemail.

Today (just now) I got another message telling me that "Voicemail has no new messages"

This is super annoying. Please can someone tell me how to make this stop?

Thanks in advance.

Troy

[Effie]

Hey @tyzer007 I can absolutely appreciate how frustrating these notifications are. We are aware of the issue with people receiving notifications about having no new messages and the team are working hard to resolve it. Apologies for any inconvenience caused! 

[tyzer007]

The idea that someone "knows about the problem" is GREAT NEWS  - Thank you.

At least it's not just me and some silly configuration.

I wish the team great speed and success in resolving the issue.

Thanks again!

[Robgo]

I can see it’s been over three months since the last update. Have the team been working hard all this time on providing a resolution? What progress have they made as this issue hasn’t changed?

[MarkD]

Hi @Robgo, we're sorry to hear that you're facing this issue. What's the make & model of your device and are you getting the notifications in the UK or when you're roaming? 

[Robgo]

Is there a reason for asking for more detail? Is the original poster’s problem thought to be fixed?

[tyzer007]

I have now been in Portugal for 2 weeks - with none of these annoying messages. So yes - the problem seems to have been resolved. - 

I hope I don't jynx myself!

[tyzer007]

Ok. I spoke too soon. 

as soon as I got to Sweden or Switzerland or Belgian or Spain it all started again. At least once or twice a day I got the message

Voicemail has no new messages 

what is difffeent?  One thing

for the past 3 months I turned off Vodafone data. The minute I turn on Vodafone data - the messages start rolling in. 

why would turning data on or off have an impact on an SMS message.?

here is my guess…. Vodafone is now starting to deliver some of their sms messages using 4G. And claiming they are SMS when they aren’t. 

when I turn off mobile data the messages go away

[tyzer007]

Yes - Just to confirm...

Vodafone is still sending me - every-single-day - a Text message telling me that "I have no new voicemail messages".

This is soooooo annoying.

And I am just now figuring out that a LOT of my messages are being blocked when I turn off mobile data. 

Why would I turn off mobile data? (because data roaming is expensive)

It used to be that SMS was part of the GSM standard (SMS was delivered using the same system as for voice calls) - but now it seems mobile operators are relying more and more on mobile data for delivery of messages. 

So you have to have mobile data on all the time - or you'll wind up missing messages. (Which in the case of these pointless voicemail messages - is a good thing).

ARGH!