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Overview

How to Subscribe

How Voice Mail Works

Initializing Your Mailbox

Forwarding Calls to Voice Mail

Calling the Voice Mail System and Your Mailbox

Reviewing Messages

Changing Your Greeting

Your Password

Sending Messages to Others

Assistant Password

Guest and Home Voice Mailboxes

Related Links

Telephone Support Services

Classes of Voice Mail Service

Pricing for MIT Business Phone Services

Voice Mail for Students, from Campuslink


Voice Mail User Guide

Overview

Welcome to MIT's voice mail system. 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 an assistant 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, contact the Telephone Client Support Representatives at 617-253-3670 or telecom-csr@mit.edu. For problems with telephone service, call the Telephone Help Desk at 617-253-4357 (3-HELP) or email to 3help@mit.edu.

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.

  • 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. For descriptions, see MIT Classes of Voice Mail Service.
  • 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, its length in minutes and seconds, and caller ID (if available). 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 with caller ID information, if available, or 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.
  • Initialization: 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.
  • 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. 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; specifically, the person's MIT telephone extension (the last five digits of the number; for example, 39999).
  • Reply: The procedure for responding directly to another subscriber's message.
  • Secondary only directory number (SODN): Directory numbers other than the primary directory number (PDN) 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: Automatically transfers calls to another mailbox number or extension. Used in an enhanced call processing application to enable 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.

How to Subscribe

Personal Voice Mailboxes

  • MIT faculty and staff should subscribe to voice mail through their Administrative Officer or contact the Telephone Client Support Representatives at 617-253-3670 or telecom-csr@mit.edu for assistance.
  • Student subscribers fill out the Campuslink full-service form.

Once your subscription is received and entered into the system, you will be sent a temporary password for initializing your voice mailbox.

The MIT Voice Mail Quick Guide "At a Glance" can be found in the front of 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 Client Support Representative (CSR).

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How Voice Mail Works

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. Initialization is performed only once; however, call forwarding can change as your call coverage needs dictate.

Voice Mail System Phone Number

The voice mail system has its own MIT telephone number: 8-6245 (VMAIL) from an on-campus phone, or 617-258-6245 from an off-campus phone. You must call this number to connect to the system and perform any of the functions available to subscribers.

Voice Mail Function Codes

You select voice mail options and enter information with the keypad of the telephone. 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. When you are familiar with the function codes, you do not need to wait for the prompts to enter the codes.

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.

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] (zero) 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 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. (You cannot skip extended-absence greetings.)

Passwords

Voice mail requires that you enter your personal password to gain access to your voice mailbox. 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. 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 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 3-3670; 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). To request a change of subscriber, send email to telecom-csr@mit.edu. You will be sent a new temporary password. Although you do not reinitialize the mailbox, you must change the temporary password, and record your name and personal greeting on the mailbox.

If You Need Help

For problems with, or questions about voice mail, including billing, contact the Client Support Representatives at 617-253-3670 or telecom-csr@mit.edu. For trouble with your 5ESS telephone service, contact the Telephone Help Desk at 3-HELP (3-4357) or 3help@mit.edu. If you are not sure whether your problem is with the phone or voice mail, call 3-4357 first. Also, check the Telephone and Voice Mail Stock Answers.

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Initializing Your Mailbox

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.

  1. From your MIT phone, call 8-6245 (V-MAIL) to connect to 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, sent to you in an email message.
    Result: The system requests that you change the temporary password to your personal password.
  3. Enter your desired 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. 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 your message clearly. 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. Before messages can be received in your voice mailbox, you must activate call forwarding to voice mail.

Sample Personal Greetings

Feel free to tailor these sample greetings to your own style or needs.

  • 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

In addition to your regular personal greeting, you can record an extended-absence greeting for when you are away from MIT and will not be checking your voice mail frequently.

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 3-3670 or send email to telecom-csr@mit.edu, and request removal of the prompt.

To Change Prompt Levels (Length of Prompts)

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 after logging into your voice mailbox:

  1. From the Main Menu, press [4 2 1 3] to select the Prompt menu.
  2. 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.
  3. Press [*] three times to exit from voice mail.

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Forwarding Calls to 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 initialize your voice mailbox, and then 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.

Forwarding Condition
Activate
Cancel
Unanswered calls (your phone rings one to five times before it is forwarded; if you forward unanswered calls, you can change the number of times the phone rings before forwarding takes place; see To Change Number of Rings.)
 78
 79
"Busy" call (if your phone is busy, it forwards to voice mail)
 74
 75
All calls forwarded (your phone doesn't ring; e.g., if you are out of the office)
 72
 73

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.

  • From the phone you want to forward, at the dial tone enter the appropriate two-digit activation code from the table above, followed by the voice mail number, 8-6245. 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 8-6245 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).

From the phone you are forwarding, at the dial tone enter [68] plus the number of seconds from the table below. For example, [6816] forwards unanswered calls after four rings.

Seconds
  Rings
08
 2
12
 3
16
 4
20
 5

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

To Cancel Call Forwarding

From the phone for which you want to cancel forwarding, at the dial tone 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.

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Calling the Voice Mail System and Your Mailbox

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 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.

From Your MIT Phone

Follow this procedure to call your voice mailbox from your own MIT telephone.

  1. Enter 8-6245.
    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, saved. If you have no new messages, and if you have saved messages, the system takes you directly to them.) From the Main Menu you can perform any voice mail function.

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. Enter 617-258-6245 from off campus; 8-6245 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.

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Reviewing Messages

This section covers the procedures for listening to messages in your voice mailbox and the options available for processing them.

Message Waiting Signals

If you have a voice mailbox you will receive a message-waiting signal whenever a new message arrives in your mailbox. The kind of signal you get depends on your telephone.

Digital or analog phone with message-waiting light:
The Message light comes on to indicate that you have new messages in your voice mailbox.
Analog phone without message-waiting light: When you pick up the handset, a stuttered dial tone indicates that you have new messages.

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. Call 8-6245 within MIT, or 617-258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Calling the Voice Mail System).
  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 3-3670.

To Listen to Messages

Review messages in your voice mailbox with any Touch-Tone telephone, either on campus or off.

  1. Enter 8-6245 within MIT, or 617-258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Calling the Voice Mail System).
    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. Double numbers indicate that you press the key twice. If you have more than one message, you must skip, erase, or save the message you are reviewing before the system will cue you to go to the next message.

During Message Review

Option
Press
Rewind ten seconds
1
Rewind to beginning of message
1 1
Pause; press again to restart
2
Fast-forward ten seconds
3
Fast-forward to end of message
3 3
Play message at lower speed
4
Hear envelope information
5
Play message at faster speed
6
Return playback volume to normal
8
Increase playback volume
9
Skip remainder of message (will be retained as new message)
#
Cancel message review (returns to Main Menu)
*
Exit voice mail
* *

After Message Review

Option
Press
Replay message
4
Hear envelope information
5
Forward message to another subscriber,retain previous introductions
6
Forward message to another subscriber, remove previous introductions (see "To forward messages," below)
6 6
Erase the message (cannot be retrieved)
7
Reply with voice mail message
8
Reply by calling sender directly (see "To reply to messages," below)
8 8
Save the message
9
Skip and delete message notifying you that a message was deleted (see Message Storage Limit)
# 2

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 first 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 person who is to receive the forwarded message.

  4. Press [#] to forward the message.

    Repeat steps 3 and 4 to forward to additional voice mailboxes.

  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. Enter 8-6245 within MIT, or 617-258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Calling the Voice Mail System).
  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, or until you access your mail box (whichever is longer), old messages for fourteen. With Class B service, new messages are held for fourteen days, old messages for seven. (See MIT Classes of Voice Mail Service.)

Expired Messages

If you do not access your voice mail for an extended period, when you finally do, 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, or you can skip the message by pressing 3 3, but it cannot be saved or otherwise processed. Expired messages must be deleted before you can go to the next message. You cannot get to your unexpired messages until you have played or skipped all expired messages.

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Changing Your Greeting

Personal Greetings

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. Enter 8-6245 within MIT, or 617-258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Calling the Voice Mail System).
  2. Press [4-3-1] to record a new greeting. 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.

Extended Absence Greeting

If you will not be checking your voice mailbox for a few days or longer, you should record an extended- absence greeting that is played to callers in place of your regular greeting. (Your regular personal greeting is retained.)

After hearing your extended-absence greeting, callers have the option of leaving a message for you or dialing another number.

Before You Leave

Recording an extended-absence greeting is a separate procedure from that for changing your personal greeting. Because an extended-absence greeting is played in place of your regular greeting, you should not record it until you want it to go into effect.

  1. Enter 8-6245 within MIT, or 617-258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Calling the Voice Mail System).
  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 Call Voice Mail

With an extended-absence greeting in effect, you can still call voice mail to retrieve messages. When you call your voice mailbox, you are reminded that your extended-absence greeting is in effect. Voice mail offers two options:

  • Press [1] to retain the greeting. You may then retrieve any new messages.
  • Press [2] to delete the extended-absence greeting and restore your regular 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, and is used to identify the mailbox.

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 email to telecom-csr@mit.edu (see Re-assigning a Voice Mailbox).

  1. Enter 8-6245 within MIT, or 617-258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Calling the Voice Mail System).
  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.

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Your Password

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 for tips on selection and security.

  1. Enter 8-6245 within MIT, or 617-258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Calling the Voice Mail System).
  2. Press [4 2 1 1] to select the Personal Password menu and follow the prompts.
  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. Contact the Client Supports Representatives at telecom-csr@mit.edu, or 3-3670.You will be issued a new temporary password by email. Immediately change the temporary password to one of your own choosing.

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Sending Messages to Others

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. Enter 8-6245 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 Calling the Voice Mail System).
  2. Press [2] to begin the send-message procedure.
  3. Record your message. As you record, you can use the following controls:
Option
Press
Rewind and replay
1 1
Pause; press again to restart
2
Fast-forward 10 seconds
3
Erase entire recording
*
  1. 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. Enter 8-6245 within MIT, or 617-258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Calling the Voice Mail System).
  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 [*].

To Transfer a Caller to Someone Else's Voice Mail Box

  1. Press [Transfer].
  2. Enter 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. Enter 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.

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. Enter 8-6245 within MIT, or 617-258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Calling the Voice Mail System).
  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:
    • Press [1] to cancel deletion.
    • 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. Say the new list name.
  5. Press [#] to mark the end of the new list name.
  6. Press [*] to exit list renaming.

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Assistant Password: Class A Only

If you have Class A voice mail service, you can set up a password for a person who can enter your voice mailbox and obtain envelope information about new messages. The person with as assistant password cannot listen to the messages themselves.

To Set up the Assistant Password

Follow these steps to establish a secretary password.

  1. Enter 8-6245 within MIT, or 617-258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Calling the Voice Mail System).
  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 Assistant Password

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

  1. Enter 8-6245 within MIT, or 617-258-6245 from outside MIT.
  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.
    • For more than one message, press [1] to hear envelope information for the next and succeeding messages.
    • Press [2] to replay envelope information for the previous message.
  4. Press [*] to exit from voice mail.

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Guest and Home Voice Mailboxes: Class A Only

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. Enter 8-6245 within MIT, or 617-258-6245 from outside MIT. When calling from other than your own MIT phone, press [*] and enter your voice mailbox number and your password (see Calling the Voice Mail System).
  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. Enter 8-6245 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.

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