Voice Mail User Guide

• Introduction
• How to subscribe
• How voice mail works
• Initializing your mailbox
• Forwarding calls to voice mail
• Calling the voice mail system & your mailbox
• Reviewing messages
• Changing your greeting
• Your password
• Sending messages to others
• Secretary password
• Guest and home voice mailboxes
• Appendix A: Classes of service and monthly rates
• Appendix B: Troubleshooting and tips

Welcome to MIT's voice mail system. Voice mail is a computer-based message system that goes beyond the functions of the usual telephone answering machine. In addition to taking messages from callers when you can't answer the phone, you can:

• Send, forward, and reply to messages.
• Send messages to a distribution list.
• Turn your phone number into a bulletin board or information center.
• Give special access privileges to a secretary or a guest user such as a family member.
• Store messages in an archive.

Voice mail information and help:
For information on subscribing to voice mail, and for assistance with your voice mail, call the Telecommunications Customer Service Representatives at 617.253.3670. For questions about billing, call Telecommunications & Network Services Billing at 617.253.3651. For problems with 5ESS telephone service, call the Telephone Help Desk at x3-4357 (3-HELP) or email to 3help@mit.edu.
Voice mail system administration:
All administrative voice mail accounts are handled through the Telecommunications Customer Service Representatives, located in Room E19-741, phone 617.253.3670, telecom-csr@mit.edu. All requests and problems should be reported them.
Voice mail for students in dorms:
Any undergraduate or graduate student with an MIT dormitory phone number can subscribe to voice mail. MIT voice mail for students is handled through PaeTec's Campuslink. For rate information or to subscribe, call the Campuslink Service Center at 1-800-962-4772.
Students must sign up for voice mail and call forwarding service once at the beginning of the academic year and again if they need it for the summer session. If you have not signed up for voice mail and call forwarding for the new academic year or the summer session those services will be terminated.
Terms you should know:
Like most technology, voice mail comes with its own vocabulary. Voice mail will not overload you with new jargon, but you should be familiar with the following terms and their definitions (words in italics within a definition are also defined in this glossary).

• Class of service: Voice mail features are grouped into several classes of service. Classes differ according to the services offered and the monthly fee that is charged. See Appendix B for descriptions of each class and the current rates.
• Enhanced call processing : A voice mail application designed to help offices save time and money by automatically routing incoming calls or by providing prerecorded information to callers.
• Envelope information: Information about a message in a voice mailbox, consisting of the date and time the message was received, and its length in minutes and seconds. If the message was sent by another voice mail subscriber, the name and mailbox number of the subscriber is included in the information; all other messages are labeled as being from an "outside caller."
• Group mailbox: A voice mailbox shared by several people. A mailbox is set up on one primary directory number and all others sharing that mailbox are given a transfer mailbox that forwards their calls into the group mailbox. The process of activating a new voice mailbox. The process includes a tutorial, changing the temporary password to a personal password, recording your name to identify the mailbox, and forwarding your phone to voice mail (described in detail in Appendix A).
• Menu: The selection of features or options available at a given point in the voice mail system. Menu items are announced verbally by the system. The main menu offers the basic options for listening to and sending messages.
• Message-waiting signal: The light on a digital phone, or the stuttered dial tone on an analog phone, that indicates new messages in a voice mailbox.
• Password: A series of six to fifteen digits, required by the system before you can gain access to a voice mailbox (do not use a zero (0) at the end; this could result in connecting to the MIT operator). New voice mail subscribers are given a six-digit temporary password that is used to initialize a voice mailbox.
• Personal mailbox: The voice mailbox of an individual subscriber. primary directory number (PDN) A person's MIT telephone number, usually given as five digits without the 25 prefix (for example, x3-9999).
• Reply: The procedure for responding directly to another subscriber's message.
• Secondary only directory number (SODN): Directory numbers other than the primary directory number that appear on a telephone desk set. An SODN can have a voice mailbox; however, the message-waiting signal for an SODN or virtual number mailbox must be associated with a PDN.
• Standard greeting: The default, prerecorded system greeting that tells callers they may leave a message. Your recorded name is inserted into the greeting. The standard greeting may be replaced by your personal greeting.
• Subscriber: The person who "owns" a voice mailbox.
• Transfer mailbox: Assigned to a directory number, it automatically transfers calls to another mailbox number or extension. Several people can share a voice mailbox by having a transfer mailbox assigned to telephones without voice mail; these can then forward calls to a number with voice mail. In an enhanced call processing application, a transfer mailbox enables a caller to automatically transfer to another mailbox or MIT extension.
• Virtual number: A directory number, such as a departmental telephone number, that is not assigned to an individual and usually appears on more than one telephone. A virtual number is not a primary directory number, but like a secondary only directory number (SODN), it can be set up with a voice mailbox.
• Voice mailbox: The part of the voice mail system where incoming messages are stored, and through which a subscriber uses voice mail's features.

What you need for voice mail:
Voice mail works in conjunction with MIT's 5ESS telephone system. It can be used with either a digital or analog telephone on campus, or with any Touch-Tone® telephone off campus, worldwide. Any faculty, staff person, department, group, or dorm resident with an MIT phone number can subscribe to voice mail.

• For student subscriptions, fill out the Campuslink form or contact them directly.
• All others should contact your Administrative Officer, as all requests for new service must come through them.
• Administrative Officers should contact their Customer Service Representative.

Once your subscription is received and entered into the system, Telecommunications Systems will send you via email your temporary password for initializing your voice mailbox; see Appendix A for the initialization procedure.

You can request The User's Guide to the MIT Voice Mail System (this booklet), the MIT Voice Mail Quick Guide, and a 5ESS digital telephone user's guide.

The MIT Voice Mail Quick Guide "At a Glance" can also be found in the MIT phone books.

Departmental voice mailboxes:
A voice mailbox can be established for a departmental directory, or virtual, number (see "Terms you should know"). For more information on setting up a departmental voice mailbox, contact your telephone Customer Service Representative (CSR).
Group voice mailboxes:
Several telephones within a group can share a single voice mailbox. A voice mailbox is established for one primary directory number in the group. Each phone number to be forwarded to the group mailbox is then assigned a transfer mailbox that takes care of the routing within the system. After the transfer mailboxes are set up, all of the phones that are connecting to the one voice mailbox must be forwarded to voice mail. Call your Customer Service Representative for details.

Initialize your voice mailbox:
If you are a new voice mail subscriber, you must initialize your voice mailbox and set up call forwarding before your mailbox will record messages from callers, or before you can use other voice mail features. Read the rest of this section for an overview of how voice mail works. Then go to Appendix A for the initialization procedure, and to Section 3 for the call forwarding procedure. Initialization is performed only once; however, call forwarding can change as your call coverage needs dictate.
Warning: Before you can use voice mail you must: 1. Initialize your voice mailbox (see Appendix A). 2. Forward your telephone to the voice mail system (see Section 3).
Voice mail system phone number:
The voice mail system has its own MIT telephone number: x8-6245 (VMAIL) from an on-campus phone, or 258-6245 from an off-campus phone. You must call this number to connect to the system and perform any of the functions available to subscribers: review messages, send a message to another subscriber, change your greeting, etc. See Section 4, "Calling the Voice Mail System and Your Voice Mailbox," for details.
The keypad:
You select voice mail options and enter information with the keypad of your 5ESS telephone or any Touch-Tone phone. In the procedures given in this guide, numerals and characters in square brackets denote the keys that you press to select menus and options; for example, [1] or [1-2-3]. The [*] (asterisk) and [#] (pound/number/crosshatch sign) keys have special functions in voice mail; these will be explained in the procedures.
Prompts and menus:
Voice mail's functions and options are organized into a hierarchy of menus. Once you are connected, voice mail verbally leads you through the options and tells you what keys to press to select them. For a diagram of the menus, refer to a copy of the MIT Voice Mail Quick Guide.
The first menu you hear upon entering your voice mailbox is the Main Menu. From this you select other menus and options, some of which may be two or three levels away from the Main Menu.
When a menu description begins, you do not have to listen to all of it to make a selection; just press the key for the option you want. If the option requires moving through two or three menus, you can press the proper keys in succession without waiting for the prompts.
Hints for navigating voice mail:
These hints should help you navigate through voice mail and its menus.

• Press [0] (Oper) for help or to hear more options.
• Press [*] (asterisk) to cancel what you are doing and return to the previous step or menu. When you exit a menu, you return to the previous menu.
• At the end of a voice mail session, press [*] until you hear "good-bye." This frees the connection for other subscribers, and puts into effect any changes you made to your mailbox during the session.
• If you call a person and connect to their voice mailbox, press [#] to skip the personal greeting; you immediately hear the beep to record a message. (This does not apply to extended-absence greetings.)
• Press [0-0] (Oper) to connect to the MIT operator.

Passwords:
Voice mail requires that you enter your personal password to gain access to your voice mailbox. This ensures that you alone control the way your voice mailbox is set up, protects the privacy of your messages, and prevents unauthorized persons from gaining access.
As a new subscriber to voice mail, you are given a temporary password that lets you initialize your voice mailbox. During the initialization process, the system requires that you replace your temporary password with a permanent one of your own choosing (see Appendix A, "Initializing Your Voice Mailbox"). The voice mail system automatically checks that the new password is a good, secure choice. Password checking prevents use of the most recent password, an ascending or descending series, the mailbox number itself, repeating digits, or any other word considered "trivial."
Follow these guidelines in selecting a password:

• The password must contain a minimum of six and a maximum of fifteen digits. Do not use a zero (0) at the end; this could result in reaching the MIT operator when accessing your voice mailbox!
• Do not select a series of numbers that may be obvious to someone else. Don't use your birth date, home or work telephone number, license plate number, Social Security number, or any number publicly associated with you.
• Do choose a number that you can remember but that is not easy for someone else to guess.
  Never tell anyone your password. If you forget it, call Voice Mail Help at x3-3670; see "If you forget your password."
• Periodically change your password; see, "To change your password."

Re-assigning a voice mailbox:
If you take over a phone number and voice mailbox previously assigned to another person, you must be registered as the voice mail subscriber. This identifies you with the mailbox in various voice mail functions (a subscriber can send you a message by spelling your name; your name is given with the envelope information on a message you have sent).
Send a written request for a subscriber change to Telecommunications Systems, Room E19-741. You will be sent a new temporary password. Although you do not reinitialize the mailbox, you must change the temporary password (see Section 7), and record your name and personal greeting on the mailbox (see Section 6). If you want the voice mail initialization tutorial, request removal and reinstallation of the mailbox; the charge for this is $100.
If you need help:
For problems with, or questions about voice mail, call the Customer Service Representatives at 617.253.3670. For billing questions, call Telecommunications & Network Services Billing at 617.253.3651 or telecom-billing@mit.edu. For trouble with your 5ESS telephone service, contact the Telephone Help Desk at x3-HELP (x3-4357) or email 3help@mit.edu. If you are not sure whether your problem is with the phone or voice mail, call x3-4357 first. Also, refer to Appendix C, "Troubleshooting and Tips."

Initialization procedure:
You initialize your voice mailbox only once. When you start initialization, the voice mail system prompts you for each step and tutors you in using the system. Procedures to access your voice mailbox, review messages, and use other voice mail features, as well as to change voice mailbox options, are given in Sections 3 through 10 of this guide.

1. From your MIT phone, dial x8-6245 (V-MAIL) to call the voice mail system.
   Result: The initialization tutorial begins by welcoming you to the MIT voice mail system, and prompts you for your temporary password.
2. Enter your temporary password. If unsure of it, call Voice Mail Help at x3-3670.
   Result: The system requests that you change the temporary password to your personal password.
3. Enter your personal password of 6 to 15 digits. Press [#] to mark the end of your password. (See "Passwords" for guidelines.)
   Result: The system asks you to record your name.
4. Speak your first and last name into the handset. Press [#] to indicate that you have recorded your name. To re-record your name, press [*]; after re-recording, press [#].
   Result: The system asks you to select the greeting your callers will hear. You can use the system's standard greeting, or record one or two personal greeting (see "Sample personal greetings"). The standard greeting is: "Your name is not available. At the tone, please record your message. When finished, you may hang up or press one for more options."
5. (a) To use the standard greeting, press [1].
   Result: The system replays the standard greeting.
   (b) To record a personal greeting, press [2]. You can record two different greetings, one to be played when you away from your phone and one to be played when you are on another call (your phone is "busy"):
   *. To record a greeting that tells callers you are away from your phone, press [1].
   *. To record a greeting that tells callers you are on another call, press [2]. (If you don't record a "busy" greeting, your "away from the phone" greeting is played.)
   (c) Speak clearly into the handset. Press [#] to indicate the end of your message. Repeat step 5b to record the alternate greeting.
   Result: The system replays your personal greetings.
6. If you wish to re-record either personal greeting, press [*] and repeat step 5b. When you are satisfied with your greeting, press [#].
   Result: The system gives a few final reminders.
7. Press [*] to exit from voice mail.
   Result: Your voice mailbox is initialized.
8. Return to Section 3, "Forwarding Calls to Voice Mail," and activate call forwarding to voice mail. You must do this before messages can be received in your voice mailbox.

Sample personal greetings:
Feel free to tailor these sample greetings to your own style or needs.
These two sample greetings are for an individual. The first is for when you are away from your phone; the second is for when you are on a call (your phone is busy).

• Hello, this is your name and title or department. I am not available to answer the phone. Please leave your name, telephone number, and a brief message. I will call back as soon as possible. Thank you.
• Hello, this is your name and title or department. I am on another call at the moment. Please leave your name, telephone number, and a brief message. I will call back as soon as possible. Thank you.

This greeting is for a department or group

• You have reached department or office name. No one is available to help you at this time. Please leave your name, telephone number, and a brief message. Your call will be returned as soon as possible. Thank you.

System prompt after personal greetings:
By default, the voice mail system adds a prompt of its own after a personal greeting. If you would like this system prompt removed from your personal greeting, call Voice Mail Help at x3-3670 or email to vmail@mit.edu, and request removal of the prompt.
To change prompt levels:
As described in "Prompts and menus" the voice mail system verbally leads you through its menus and options. You can choose from three levels of prompting once your voice mailbox is initialized:

• The default standard prompt gives brief descriptions of the menus and options, and tells you what keys to press to select them.
• The extended prompt gives more detailed information on the menus and options.
• The rapid prompt gives only the key words of menus and options and what keys to press.

To change your prompt level, follow this procedure:

1. If you are in voice mail, press [*] until the prompt announces the Main Menu. If not in voice mail, dial x8-6245 within MIT, or 258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Section 4).
2. From the Main Menu, press [4-2-1-3] to select the Prompt menu.
3. Press the key corresponding to the desired prompt:
   [1] Standard prompt
   [2] Extended prompt
   [3] Rapid prompt
   For example, to change to the rapid prompt, press [3] after selecting the Prompt menu.
   Result: The system confirms your selection.
4. Press [*] three times to exit from voice mail.

This section describes call forwarding and explains how to activate and cancel it. You can change call forwarding as your call coverage needs dictate.
Warning: Before you can use voice mail you must: 1. Initialize your voice mailbox (see Appendix A). 2. Forward your telephone to the voice mail system.
Call-forwarding conditions: The following table describes the call forwarding conditions and gives the codes to activate and cancel each one. You can have any combination of call forwarding conditions active at one time; however, forwarding of all calls supersedes any other active forwarding.

(If you forward unanswered calls, you can change the number of times the phone rings before forwarding takes place; see page 12.)
To activate call forwarding:
Follow this procedure to activate one call forwarding condition; repeat it to activate additional conditions. Call forwarding remains in effect until you cancel it.

• Listen for the dial tone and enter the appropriate two-digit activation code from the table above, followed by the voice mail number, x8-6245. For example, [7886245] forwards unanswered calls.
  Result: You hear a confirmation tone of two quick beeps, followed by the dial tone.
  Note: A busy signal after entering the forwarding code and x8-6245 indicates call forwarding for that condition is already in effect. Enter the canceling codes and start over.

To change number of rings:
Once the forwarding of unanswered calls is activated, the system forwards a call after five rings of your telephone, or twenty seconds. You can change the number of times your telephone rings (actually, the elapsed number of seconds) before a call is forwarded.
In the following procedure, enter the number of seconds in multiples of four to get the desired number of rings (1 ring = 4 seconds).

• Listen for the dial tone and enter [68] plus the number of seconds from the table below. For example, [6816] forwards unanswered calls after four rings.

Result: You hear a confirmation tone of quick beeps, followed by the dial tone.

To cancel call forwarding:
Follow this procedure to cancel any call forwarding condition.

• Listen for the dial tone and enter the appropriate two-digit canceling code from the table above. For example, [79] cancels forwarding of unanswered calls.
  Result: You hear a confirmation tone of quick beeps, followed by the dial tone.

To review messages, to use other features of voice mail, or to change your voice mail options, you must first call the voice mail system and gain access to your mailbox. You can do this from any on-campus 5ESS phone, or from any Touch-Tone phone anywhere in the world.
The procedures differ, depending on whether you are calling voice mail from your own MIT phone, from an off-campus phone, or from an MIT phone other than yours. Below are detailed procedures; these are summarized as needed in subsequent sections of this guide.
From your MIT phone:
Follow this procedure to call your voice mailbox from your own MIT 5ESS telephone.

1. Dial x8-6245. Result: The system responds with your name and prompts you for your password.
2. Enter your 6- to 15-digit password.
   Result: You are in the Main Menu. The system tells you how many messages, if any, are in your voice mailbox and prompts you to review them or select from other options in the Main Menu. (The order for message types is: urgent, private, new, archived. If you have no new messages, and if you have archived messages, the system takes you directly to them.) Once you are in the Main Menu you can continue to any of the other procedures described in the following sections of this guide, or refer to the MIT Voice Mail Quick Guide.

From an off-campus or other MIT phone:
Follow this procedure to call your voice mailbox from an off-campus, Touch-Tone phone, or from an MIT phone other than your own.

1. Dial 258-6245 (preceded by the 617 area code, if necessary) from off campus, x8-6245 if on campus.
Result: The system responds by welcoming you to the voice mail system. If you are calling from another subscriber's phone, the system responds with that person's name.
2. Press [*].
Result: The system prompts you for your voice mailbox number.
3. Enter your 5-digit voice mailbox number; for example, 3-9999. Result: The system responds with your name and prompts you for your password.
4. Enter your 6- to 15-digit password.
Result: You are in the Main Menu. The system tells you how many messages, if any, are in your voice mailbox and prompts you to review them or select from other options in the Main Menu. (The order for message types is: urgent, private, new, archived. If you have no new messages, and if you have archived messages, the system takes you directly to them.) Once you are in the Main Menu you can continue to any of the other procedures described in the following sections of this guide, or refer to the MIT Voice Mail Quick Guide.

This section covers the procedures for listening to messages in your voice mailbox and the options available for processing them.
Warning: The voice mail system holds messages for only a limited number of days and then deletes them. For details, see "Message storage limit."
Message-waiting signals:
If you have a voice mailbox for your primary directory number, you will receive a message-waiting signal whenever a new message arrives in your mailbox. The kind of signal you get depends on whether you have a digital or analog 5ESS telephone.
Digital phone: The Message light comes on to indicate that you have new messages in your voice mailbox.
Analog phone: When you pick up the handset, a stuttered dial tone indicates that you have new messages. Voice mail subscribers with analog phones should check periodically for new messages, especially if you are away from your phone for awhile.
Status of message-waiting signal:
The message-waiting signal can be turned on or off. To check or change the status of your signal, do the following:

1. Dial x8-6245 within MIT, or 258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Section 4).
2. Press [4-1].
Result: The system tells you either "Message-waiting indicator on," or "Message-waiting indicator off," followed by directions to press [3] to turn the signal on, or press [4] to turn it off.
Note: If you discover that messages have been received in your mailbox but your message-waiting signal did not notify you, check to see if notification is on. If the system replies with "Message-waiting indicator on," this indicates a problem; call Voice Mail Help at x3-3670.

To listen to messages:
You can review messages in your voice mailbox with any Touch-Tone telephone, either on campus or off.

1. Dial x8-6245 within MIT, or 258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Section 4).
Result: The system tells you how many messages, if any, are in your voice mailbox.
2. Press [1] to review your messages. See the following subsection, "Message processing options."

Message processing options:
While reviewing messages, you can select processing options given in the following tables. Options are listed in the left column, keys you press to select them are listed in the right column. Double numbers indicate that you press the key twice or repeatedly. If you have more than one message, you must erase or save the message you are reviewing before the system will cue you to go to the next message.

During message review:

After message review:

To forward messages:
You can forward a copy of a message to another voice mail subscriber. If the message has prior introductions, you can remove these before adding your own and forwarding the message.

1. After reviewing the message, select one of the following:
   To initiate the forwarding procedure, retaining any previous introductions, press [6].
   To initiate the forwarding procedure, removing any previous introductions, press [6-6].
2. You must record a comment to be attached to the beginning of the forwarded message. Press [#] to mark the end of your comment, if any. Press [1] to replay your comment (if desired).
3. Enter the five-digit voice mailbox number (MIT phone number) of the voice mail subscriber who is to receive the forwarded message.
4. Press [#] to forward the message.
5. To erase the original message from your voice mailbox, press [7]. To save it, press [9].

To reply to messages:
If you receive a message from another MIT voice mail subscriber, you can reply to that person by either returning a voice mail message or using the "call sender" feature. To determine a message's origin, press [5] during or after it to hear envelope information. If the sender's name is given in the information, you can use Reply. If the call is from an "outside caller," you cannot use Reply.
To reply with a voice mail message:
After reviewing the subscriber's message, you can record and send a message in reply, without hanging up and calling the number.

1. Press [8] and record your reply. Press [#] to mark the end of your reply. Press [1] to replay it, if desired.
2. Press [#] to send your reply.
3. To erase the original message from your voice mailbox, press [7]. To save it, press [9].

To reply by calling the sender:
After reviewing a message, the voice mail system can automatically transfer you to the subscriber's extension (remember, this works only if the caller is another MIT voice mail subscriber).

• Press [8-8]. If the call is connected, you are automatically logged out of your mailbox (the message just reviewed remains in your mailbox as a new message). If the call is not answered, you are returned to your mailbox, where you can press [8] to reply with a voice mail message.

To leave message review:
After reviewing all the messages in your voice mailbox, follow these steps to exit from voice mail.

1. Press [*] to return to the voice mail Main Menu. You can select other options at this point.
2. Press [*] again to exit from voice mail. Listen for the prompt to say "good-bye."

Locate Messages Received:
When checking messages received, you can ask the system to play only those messages from another MIT voice mail subscriber or distribution list you specify, or from all outside callers (no further distinctions can be made for outside callers). This helps you find messages requiring immediate attention, and is especially helpful if you tend to receive many messages when you are away from your phone. You can create a personal group list to sort messages from subscribers you include on the list.

1. Dial x8-6245 within MIT, or 258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see page 14).
2. Press [3-2].
3. Select one of the following to specify the source of calls you wish to locate:

• To specify a subscriber, press [1]. When prompted, enter the subscriber's mailbox number, or press [#] and spell the subscriber's name.
• To locate messages from outside callers, press [2].
  Result: The system plays new and archived messages from the callers specified. To skip a message and move to the next one, press [#]. To cancel Locate Messages Received, press [*].

Message storage limit:
The voice mail system holds messages for a limited number of days, depending on the class of voice mail service. With Class A service, new messages are held for thirty days, old messages for fourteen. With Class B service, new messages are held for fourteen days, old messages for seven. (See Appendix B, "Voice Mail Classes of Service and Monthly Rates.")
When you are away:
If you do not retrieve and delete your messages within the time limit for your class of service, the system marks them for deletion. However, if you plan to be away from MIT for a week or more, two alternatives will help ensure that you miss no messages because they were deleted.

• Create an extended-absence greeting; see Section 6. Tell callers that you are away and when you will return, and ask them to call again after you return. Or refer callers to another phone number.
• Call Voice Mail Help at x3-3670 and request an extension of service until you return. Messages will not be deleted when the usual time limit for your class of service expires; however, you are expected to retrieve your messages soon after you return. There is no additional charge for this service.

Expired messages:
Should you be away without either alternative in place, and messages are to be deleted due to expired time limits, you still receive a message-waiting signal. When you enter your voice mailbox, you will hear a notification for each message to be deleted, and you will be able to listen to the message. At that time you can replay the message as often as you want, but it cannot be archived or otherwise processed. Expired messages must be deleted before you can go to the next message. Unexpired messages (those still within the time limit) can be processed as usual.

Personal Greetings:
Instead of the standard system greeting, you can record personalized greetings to give callers information tailored to your situation. Voice mail provides for two different personal greetings: one for when you are away from your phone (the "no answer" greeting), and one for when you are on another call (the "busy" greeting). The system automatically determines which is the appropriate greeting to play for callers. You can also create a special extended-absence greeting for when you are away and may not be checking your mailbox regularly.
Once you have initialized your voice mailbox and recorded your personal greetings, you can change the greetings to meet differing call-coverage needs.
To change your greetings:
Follow this procedure to change your regular personal greetings.

1. Dial x8-6245 within MIT, or 258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Section 4).
2. Press [4-3-1] to record a new greeting (see samples below). Select one of the following:
   a. To record a greeting that tells callers you are away from your phone, press [1].
   b. To record a greeting that tells callers you are on another call, press [2].
3. Press [#] to indicate the end of your greeting.
4. Press [1] to review what you recorded. To re-record, press [*].
5. When satisfied with your greeting, press [#]. Repeat step 2 to record the alternate greeting.
6. Press [*] to return to the Main Menu; press [*] again to exit from voice mail.

Sample personal greetings:
Feel free to tailor these sample greetings to your own style or needs.
These two sample greetings are for an individual. The first is for when you are away from your phone (the "no answer" greeting); the second is for when you are on a call (the "busy" greeting).

• "Hello, this is your name and title or department. I am not available to answer the phone. Please leave your name, telephone number, and a brief message. I will call back as soon as possible. Thank you."
• "Hello, this is your name and title or department. I am on another call at the moment. Please leave your name, telephone number, and a brief message. I will call back as soon as possible. Thank you."

This greeting is for a department or group.

• "You have reached department or office name. No one is available to help you at this time. Please leave your name, telephone number, and a brief message. Your call will be returned as soon as possible. Thank you."

Extended-absence greeting:
If you plan to be away from MIT and will not be checking your voice mailbox, you should record an extended- absence greeting that is played to callers in place of your regular greeting. Tell callers that you are away and when you will return, and ask them to call again after you return. Or you can refer callers to another phone number for help or information.
After hearing your extended-absence greeting, callers have the option of dialing another number, leaving a message for you (see "Message storage limit"), or pressing [0] (Oper) for assistance (assuming your office or department has designated an "attendant" to whom calls are automatically forwarded when a caller presses zero).
Before you leave:
Recording an extended-absence greeting is a separate procedure from that for changing your personal greeting. Because an extended-absence greeting overrides your regular greeting, you should not record it until just before you want it to go into effect.

1. Dial x8-6245 within MIT, or 258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Section 4).
2. Press [4-3-2] to record your extended-absence greeting.
3. Press [#] to indicate the end of your greeting.
4. To review what you recorded, press [1]. To re-record, press [*].
5. When satisfied with your extended-absence greeting, press [#].
6. Press [*] to return to the Main Menu; press [*] again to exit from voice mail.

When you return:
When you return and call your voice mailbox, you are reminded that your extended-absence greeting is in effect. Voice mail offers you two options:

• Press [1] to retain the greeting and continue overriding your regular greeting.
• Press [2] to delete the extended-absence greeting and restore your regular greeting.

While you are away you can call into your voice mailbox to check for messages (see Section 4). When you hear your extended absence greeting, press [# 1] to go immediately to any new messages (this retains your extended absence greeting).
To change the recorded name on the mailbox:
You can change the recorded name associated with your mailbox. This is the name that is recorded during mailbox initialization. It is played as part of the features that use the recorded name to identify the mailbox (for example, when you call your voice mailbox; in the system's standard greeting; when you send a message to another subscriber).
Note: Changing the recorded name does not change ownership of the mailbox. If you are taking over a phone number with a mailbox that was previously assigned to another subscriber, you must register as the new subscriber. Send a written request to Telecommunications Systems, Room E19-741 (see "Re-assigning a voice mailbox").

1. Dial x8-6245 within MIT, or 258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Section 4).
2. Press [4-3-3] to record a new name (the system asks for your first and last name).
3. When finished recording your name, press [#].
4. Press [*] to return to the Main Menu; press [*] again to exit from voice mail.

To change your password:
Once you have initialized your voice mailbox and selected a personal password, you can change your password at any time. See "Passwords," pages 8-9, for tips on selection and security.

1. Dial x8-6245 within MIT, or 258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Section 4).
2. Press [4-2-1-1] to select the Personal Password menu. Caution: Be sure to enter the correct key sequence. If you inadvertently press a sequence such as [4-2-1-1-4], you will assign yourself a guest password. This locks you out of your mailbox, in which case you must call Voice Mail Help, x3-3670 (see Appendix C, "Troubleshooting and Tips.")
3. Enter your new 6- to 15-digit password. Do not use a zero (0) at the end.
4. Press [#] to indicate that you have entered the new password.
   Result: The system automatically checks that the new password is a good, secure choice. If your new password is rejected, the system prompts you to enter another one.
5. Press [*] to return to the Main Menu; press [*] again to exit from voice mail.

If you forget your password:
If you forget your password and cannot get access to your voice mailbox, all is not lost. Go, in person, to Telecommunications Systems, E19-741, and present valid identification plus a letter of authorization from your AO. You may also send a memo of authorization by campus mail.
You will be issued a new temporary password, in person or by mail, that gets you into your voice mailbox (no passwords will be given over the phone). Immediately change the temporary password to one of your own choosing.

With voice mail you can send a prerecorded message to one or more subscribers, either individually or through a group distribution list. Options let you specify a future delivery date, mark the message as private or urgent, and notify you whether or not the recipient has listened to your message.
Note on group lists: Use group distribution lists to send messages to the same people on a regular basis. To do this, create the lists first (see "Group distribution lists"), then follow the procedure for sending a message, below.
To send a recorded message:
This procedure is in four parts, as outlined below. Each part is described in detail in the sections that follow:

1. Record the message.
2. Enter the destination.
3. Select delivery options, if any.
4. Send the message.

Record the message:
Follow these steps to record your message.

1. Dial x8-6245 within MIT, or 258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Section 4).
2. Press [2] to begin the send-message procedure.
3. Record your message. As you record, you can use the following controls:

4. Press [#] to indicate the end of your recording.

Enter the destination:
After recording the message, enter the voice mailbox number or group distribution list number to which the message will be sent.

• For individuals, enter the subscriber's five-digit MIT phone number (voice mailbox number), or press [#] and spell the subscriber's name.
• For group distribution lists, enter the two-digit ID number you assigned when you created the list (see "Group distribution lists").
  Result: The system plays the name of the individual or group list. It then prompts you to send the message, or press [0] (zero) for the delivery options menu. Skip to "Send the message," if you are not selecting delivery options.

Select delivery options:
After entering the destination of your message and before sending it, you may select one or more of the following delivery options.

• Private: To mark the message as private and prevent the recipient from forwarding it, press [1].
• Urgent: To mark the message as urgent and put it at the beginning of the recipient's queue of new messages, press [2].
• Confirmation: To receive confirmation of delivery, press [3] plus one of the following two choices:
  To receive a notice when the recipient has listened to your complete message, press [1].
  To receive a notice that the recipient has not retrieved the message, press [2].
• Future delivery: To assign a date, day, and time for future delivery of your message, press [4], then continue with the following; you will prompted for each step.
  1. To specify a date for delivery, press [1], then: Indicate the month for delivery by entering a number corresponding to the month, from 1 through 12, where 1 = January, 2 = February, etc. Indicate the date for delivery by entering a number from 1 through 31.
  2. To specify a day within the next week for delivery, press [2], then enter the two digits that correspond to the first two letters of the day; SUnday = 78, MOnday = 66, WEdnesday = 93, etc.
  3. To specify the time of day for delivery: Enter the three to four digits representing the hour and minutes; for example, 1:00 = 100, 10:30 = 1030. To indicate a.m., press [1] or p.m., press [2].

Send the message:
After entering the destination and selecting delivery options, if any, you can send the message on its way.

1. To send the message or hold it for the future delivery specified, press [#].

• To send the same message to another subscriber or group list, repeat the steps from "Enter the destination".
• To change delivery options before sending the message to other destinations, re-enter the code for the previously selected option; this cancels it.

2. Press [*] to return to the Main Menu; press [*] again to exit from voice mail.

Locate Messages Sent:
Once you send a message to another subscriber, you can check whether or not the recipient has listened to it. "Listened to" means the message as well as the end-of-message prompts were heard in their entirety. (To have the system notify you automatically when a recipient has listened to your message, see "Select delivery options".)

1. Dial x8-6245 within MIT, or 258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Section 4).
2. Press [3-1].
3. Enter the subscriber's mailbox number, or press [#] and spell the subscriber's name.
   Result: The system plays all messages from you not yet listened to by the recipient. To skip a message and move to the next one, press [#]. To cancel Locate Messages Sent, press [*].

Group distribution lists:
You can send a prerecorded message to several people at once with a group distribution list. With Class A service, you can create fifteen lists; with Class B service, ten lists. Each list holds up to twenty-five voice mailbox numbers.
The Group Distribution List menu:
You create and maintain a list from the Group Distribution List menu. To get to the menu from the Main Menu, follow these two steps.

1. Dial x8-6245 within MIT, or 258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Section 4).
2. Press [4-2-2] for the Group Distribution List menu.

You may now create, review, edit, rename, and delete group distribution lists; continue for details.
To create a new group list:
Follow these steps to create a new group list.

1. From the Group Distribution List menu, press [1]. (From the Main Menu, press [4-2-2-1]).
2. Enter a two-digit group distribution list ID number, from 11 through 25. Use this number in the "Enter the destination" step when you send a message.
3. Speak a name for the list into the handset. This name is played back to you in other procedures.
4. Press [#] to indicate that labeling of the list with a number and name is complete.
5. Enter the five-digit voice mailbox numbers (MIT phone numbers) for each person in the list. While adding mailboxes to the list you can delete a number by entering it again.
6. Press [*] to exit list creation.

To review a list:
Follow these steps to verify the voice mailboxes contained in a group list.

1. From the Group Distribution List menu, press [2]. (From the Main Menu, press [4-2-2-2]).
2. Enter the two-digit ID number of the list to review.
3. Press [1] to review the list.
   Result: The system plays the names of the voice mail subscribers in the list.
4. Press [*] to exit list review, or press [2] to edit the list.

To edit a list:
Follow these steps to add numbers to, or delete them from a list.

1. From the Group Distribution List menu, press [2]. (From the Main Menu, press [4-2-2-2]).
2. Enter the two-digit ID number of the list to review.
3. Enter the voice mailbox numbers to be added or deleted. If not on the list, the mailbox is added; if the number is already on the list, entering the number deletes it.
   Result: The system plays the names of voice mail subscribers added or deleted.
4. Press [*] to exit list editing.

To review list names:
Follow these steps to review the names of existing group distribution lists.

1. From the Group Distribution List menu, press [4]. (From the Main Menu, press [4-2-2-4]).
2. To review list names, press [1].
   Result: The system identifies each list by the name you gave it.
3. Press [*] to exit list-name review.

To delete a list:
Follow these steps to delete a group list and, therefore, all the voice mailbox numbers it contains.

1. From the Group Distribution List menu, press [3]. (From the Main Menu, press [4-2-2-3]).
2. Enter the two-digit ID number of the list to delete.
   Result: The system warns you that you have marked the list for deletion. You are given two options:
   a. Press [1] to cancel deletion.
   b. Press [2] to confirm the deletion.
3. Press [*] to exit list deletion.

To rename an existing list:
Follow these steps to rename an existing group list.

1. From the Group Distribution List menu, press [4]. (From the Main Menu, press [4-2-2-4]).
2. To rename a list, press [2].
3. Enter the two-digit ID number of the list to rename.
4. Speak the new list name into the handset.
5. Press [#] to mark the end of the new list name.
6. Press [*] to exit list renaming.

To transfer a caller to someone else's voice mail box:

1. Press [Transfer].
2. Type in the MIT voice mail system extension, 8-6245. You will hear your name if you have a voice mail box in the system.
3. Press [*] twice.
4. Type in the extension of the voice mail box to which you want to transfer the caller. Listen to the prompt to be sure that you have selected the correct extension.
5. Press [Transfer] again and hang up.

If you have Class A voice mail service, you can set up a secretary password for a person who can enter your voice mailbox and obtain envelope information about new messages. The person with your secretary password cannot listen to the messages themselves.
Envelope information consists of the date and time the message was received, and its length in minutes and seconds. If the message was sent from another subscriber via the Send procedure, the subscriber's name and mailbox number is included; all other messages are labeled as being from an "outside caller."
To set up the secretary password:
Follow these steps to establish a secretary password.

1. Dial x8-6245 within MIT, or 258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Section 4).
2. Press [4-2-1-5] to select Secretary password.
3. Enter a 6- to 15-digit password that you have chosen as the secretary password.
   Note: Each password you create (personal, secretary, guest, or home) must be unique. This creates better security for your messages, and prevents you from inadvertently locking yourself out of your mailbox.
4. Press [#] to indicate that you have entered the secretary password.
5. Press [*] to exit from voice mail.

To use the secretary password:
If you are designated to use the secretary password for a voice mail subscriber, follow this procedure to hear envelope information about new messages.

1. Dial x8-6245 (or 258-6245 from outside MIT) to call the voice mail system.
2. Press [*] and enter the five-digit voice mailbox number of the subscriber for whom you are calling (that person's MIT phone number).
3. Enter your 6- to 15-digit secretary password.
   Result: The system provides envelope information for the first message or advises you that no messages are in the mailbox.
   a. For more than one message, press [1] to hear envelope information for the next and succeeding messages.
   b. Press [2] to replay envelope information for the previous message.
4. Press [*] to exit from voice mail.

If you have Class A voice mail service, you can assign up to two guest passwords and one home password to persons who are not subscribers, but with whom you wish to exchange messages via voice mail.
Persons with guest and home passwords can leave messages to, and receive them from you. A home mailbox is like a guest mailbox, except that messages left by the home password holder go to the beginning of your new-message queue.
Guest and home password holders have access only to the messages you leave for them; they cannot get access to other messages in your voice mailbox.
To create a guest or home mailbox:
Follow these steps to create a guest or home mailbox.

1. Dial x8-6245 within MIT, or 258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Section 4).
2. Press [4-2-1] to select the Passwords menu.
3. Press [3] to create the first guest mailbox, press [4] to create the second guest mailbox, or press [2] to create the home mailbox.
4. Enter a unique 6- to 15-digit password for each guest or home mailbox you are creating.
   Note: Each password you create (personal, secretary, guest, or home) must be unique. This creates better security for your messages, and prevents you from inadvertently locking yourself out of your mailbox.
5. Press [#] to mark the end of the password.
6. Press [*] to exit from voice mail.

To send a message to a guest or home mailbox:
You send messages to your guest and home mailboxes by using the procedure "To send a recorded message." Enter the following destination codes at the appropriate step in the procedure:

• [91] for the first guest mailbox.
• [92] for the second guest mailbox.
• [93] for the home mailbox.

To use a guest or home mailbox:
If you are designated to use a guest or home password, follow this procedure to hear messages for you, and to leave messages for the voice mailbox subscriber.

1. Dial x8-6245 from within MIT, or 258-6245 from outside MIT, to call the voice mail system.
   Result: A greeting welcomes you to the system.
2. Press [*] and enter the voice mailbox number to which you have guest or home privileges.
3. Enter your 6- to 15 digit guest or home password.
   Result: The system plays messages left for you, along with the date and time they were sent.
4. At the end of each message, you have two options:
   a. Press [1] to replay the message.
   b. Press [2] to delete the message and continue.
   If you have more than one message, you must delete the current message to hear the next one. You cannot save messages.

After deleting all messages, you have two options:

1. Press [1] to exit.
2. Press [2] to record a message for the voice mailbox subscriber. After recording your message, press [#]. The system prompts you for further options and disconnects you at the end.

Voice mail classes of service and monthly rates can be found at: http://web.mit.edu/is/tel/vmail-cos.html.

For more details, call the Telecommunications Customer Service Representatives at 617.253.3670.

We hope that your use of voice mail always proceeds smoothly - but we also realize that you may occasionally run into problems or have questions about its operation. Most everything about how voice mail works is covered in this guide. Check the table of contents to see if the topic of your question is listed.
Answers to some common problems with their solutions, plus tips for using the voice mail system can be found in the Telephone and Voice Mail Stock Answers. If your technical or administrative question is not addressed there, call the Telecommunications Customer Service Representatives at 617.253.3670 or email them at telecom-csr@mit.edu .

Ask a computer-related question or send a comment about this web page
Last modified: 09/22/2003