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No voicemail notification on Windows phone (Lumia 520)..is this a widespread problem?


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Old 05-01-2014, 20:50
cathrin
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I recently bought my first Windows phone, the Nokia Lumia 520, on Virgin. I really like the phone, apart from one major flaw: It doesn't notify me when I get a voicemail. No sound, no alert, no icon, nothing. I do get a missed call symbol, but there's absolutely nothing to indicate when there's a voicemail message. And if someone leaves a message while the phone is switched off, there's not even a missed call icon when I turn it on, so there's literally no indication at all.

A quick Google revealed this to be a common problem with Windows phones; I found loads of people on different forums complaining about the same thing. It definitely seems to be a Windows issue, not a Virgin one (I had no problem getting voicemail notifications on my previous (non-smart)phone.)

I reported the problem to Nokia in a very long and complicated Live Chat session, which ended with the operator telling me they're looking into getting the problem fixed. But that was months ago.

Has anyone found a way of fixing the problem? My current workaround (a massively unsatisfactory one!) is to call voicemail every time I get a missed call, and every time I switch the phone on. But it's absolutely ridiculous having to do this! It's just about workable for me, as I'm usually able to answer most of my calls, but it would be a nightmare for someone who got lots of messages. Surely a voicemail notification is one of the basic functions of any phone? I've had loads of cheap basic models over the years that had no problem fulfilling this function.

I probably should have taken the 520 back as soon as I discovered the problem, but it was a while before I realised it, and besides, I do like the phone apart from this (admittedly huge) flaw.

Anyone know if there's an imminent fix on the horizon? Or is there another workaround I haven't thought of yet? Many thanks in advance if anyone can advise.
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Old 05-01-2014, 21:18
Zee_Bukhari
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go to ringtones and sounds and select a sound for new voicemail.

As for no call icon, if you have the phone tile on your main screen, there should be a number like 1, 2 depending on how many missed calls you have.

They are also adding a new notifications system in WP 8.1 which will be released soon...
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Old 05-01-2014, 21:24
cathrin
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Thanks for replying: Sorry, I should have explained in my OP that I've done all the things that should solve the problem (such as selecting an alert tone for voicemail etc). But nothing works.

As regards the icon, I do get a missed call symbol on the phone tile, (providing the phone is on when the message is left) but there's nothing to indicate there's a voicemail message....so I have to call voicemail every time I get a missed call. And if someone leaves a message when the phone is switched off, I've got no way of even knowing there's even been a call, let alone a message.

Apologies if my OP wasn't clear, I know it was a bit garbled! I did appreciate the reply though, and I'm pleased to hear that there's an update coming. Hopefully that will get the voicemail working as it should.
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Old 05-01-2014, 21:59
TheBigM
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I own a Nokia Lumia 920 and I was about to write this isn't a problem for me but you're right in that I only get a missed call indicator not a voicemail indicator. Not sure why this is given they have bothered to put a dedicated voicemail dialling button in the phone app.

That said, on my network, Three, it's not a problem as they text me whenever I have a new voicemail to listen to. Is that something Virgin can do for you?

Update: Apparently, Windows Phone is supposed to show you voicemail notifications: http://www.windowsphone.com/en-gb/ho...k-my-voicemail

It's probably that Virgin are not supporting the OMTP standard for voicemail (as supported on O2 for example). I think Three are detecting when a phone wants this standard and are doing the text message instead. From recollection, voicemail notifications have been supported in Windows Phone since WP7 - I think it's a case what the operator is supporting and not supporting.
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Old 05-01-2014, 22:08
iangrad
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But unless I am mistaken even on a android phone : if the phone is out of range or switched off you still don't get a message on the phone itself when you do come back into reception but maybe some networks do alert you to a missed call via call catcher but it not a phone issue ?
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Old 05-01-2014, 22:12
Zee_Bukhari
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on my HTC One with an O2 sim card in there, there seems to be voicemail alerts, but with a Three sim card I don't get those, only a text alert.

Maybe this could be an operator issue rather than the phone?
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Old 05-01-2014, 23:46
Dan 8t1
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But unless I am mistaken even on a android phone : if the phone is out of range or switched off you still don't get a message on the phone itself when you do come back into reception but maybe some networks do alert you to a missed call via call catcher but it not a phone issue ?
Correct - no phone knows about calls when it was switched off. If you do get a notification that you missed a call while the phone was off, that's the network letting you know.

Going back to the OP, Virgin definitely do support the proper voicemail notification flag (as opposed to just notifying you by text message), and it worked fine on my Lumia 620 when I had it.
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Old 06-01-2014, 09:10
cathrin
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Thanks for the replies. Re voicemails left when the phone is switched off, I'm comparing it with my previous phones (and other people's): for example, with my old Samsung Tocco (also on Virgin), if someone left a voicemail when the phone was off or out of range, the phone would immediately alert me to the voicemail message with an alert tone and visual symbol as soon as I switched it on or went back into range. Is this unusual, then? What do other people do? It doesn't seem right to have to phone your voicemail every time you've been out of range or the phone's switched off.

I've seen the photos of what should happen--the little cassette symbol in the phone tile indicating a voicemail message--but that doesn't work with mine, and I gather lots of other people are having the same issue. Fingers crossed for this forthcoming update...
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Old 06-01-2014, 09:20
qasdfdsaq
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Is this unusual, then?
No, not unusual at all.

Voicemail notifications are just a specially coded text message and like all text messages sent to you while your phone is off, should arrive when it's switched back on.
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Old 06-01-2014, 12:16
cathrin
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No, not unusual at all.

Voicemail notifications are just a specially coded text message and like all text messages sent to you while your phone is off, should arrive when it's switched back on.
Yes, that's exactly what I thought. I'm amazed to hear people saying it's normal to have no idea there's a voicemail message when you switch your phone on. With my previous phone, anything that arrived while it was turned off would immediately pop up as soon as I switched it on. In fact, that's been the case with every other phone I've ever had, even the bog-standard cheapo ones ten years ago!
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