Premium Visual Voicemail

[ToddMILegal]

OK, little confusion and concerned....

I subscribed to Premium Visual Voicemail for my primary phone on Verizon.  Could not seem to get set up or function properly other than basic visual voicemail features that any customer can have.

But paying $2.99/month for extra features (such as higher message storage and especially Caller Specific Greetings [where you can set different greetings for different people that call]) I am willing to pay.

After extensive app search, research, and playing around I finally contacted customer service online today. I have been told to visit a store and a technician will have to add / make adjustments so that I can receive the added voicemail features.

HAS anyone else had this issue?  I have some concern over messing with my phone to add a feature (when the phone itself works great) that is not really on the phone.  From what I understand Voicemails are not actually on our phones - when someone calls that we miss the call is actually forwarded to a different system, right?

If anyone has been in this situation, would like to hear from you. I did not purchase this phone from Verizon and don't want to mess up a phone I am otherwise extremely happy with. The online customer rep could not explain what the technician does - just that they need to have phone to get it working with premium voicemail.

By the way, I have a Google Pixel 7.     Thank you.

- Todd

[vzw_customer_support]

I know how cool some of those premium visual voicemail features are, ToddMILegal, and I would want to make sure I could use them. I'm not sure that visiting a store would be more help than what we could offer. I did scour our resources, and I don't see any steps for a Pixel phone. The only steps I can see are for Samsung devices which can be found here: https://www.verizon.com/support/knowledge-base-103598/

What happens if you follow those steps?

-Joseph

[ToddMILegal]

Hi Joseph:

Well, checked Out the instructions that you sent for the Samsung. It sadly was of no help. Just what I find through some research as you is all the instructions either relate to iPhones or to having the premium voicemail on Samsung devices. Even though when I look up the comparison chart and the features of premium voicemail, it says it's available on basic phones, smartphones, Android, even blackberries that I did not know still were in existence lol.  But my personal experience so far I only find Samsung and iPhones for instructions.

I currently use and have for years is a third party company called YouMail that is and what Verizon offers in premium visual voicemail, plus with excellent spam control. However with them it cost me $7.99 and then when I seen Verizon has their service for $2.99 I thought I could save a few dollars and keep my visual voicemail with the same company that I have my cell service with. Thought it was going to be a win-win. Unfortunately not and since I have something that I know that works I think I will not go in and have anyone mess with the phone and keep things how they are. 

As the saying goes sometimes when it's not broke don't fix it.

I do however greatly appreciate you doing your research on it and seeing if you could assist me and passing along what you found. 

Have a great day and thank you again.

[vzw_customer_support · Accepted solution]

Thanks for replying here ToddMILegal. Was the Pixel 7 purchased directly from Google or from Verizon? The reason I ask BYOD (Bring Your Own Devices) may not be compatible. The Verizon branded billing features that are not supported on Open Development (OD) Verizon Certified Unlocked Devices include Visual Voicemail. We can provide you with options to upgrade and trade in your Pixel 7 if that is the case. Let us know.

-Deb

[ToddMILegal]

Hi Deb:

Thank you greatly for your input.  I actually purchased the phone from Amazon, not directly from Verizon - so yes,  simply Brought My Device to Verizon.   And what you stated actually makes a lot of sense. It would be incredibly helpful to customers that if such information was stated on the website or online reps would provide such information.  For instance on the website where compare different voicemails, it simply shows available for "Android, Smartphones...etc".

But aside from my suggestions, I may consider trade in and/or upgrade of my phone to one from Verizon; which seems silly since I purchased this phone only approximately a month ago. And I REALLY like it. But - if can get same phone or next up, little or no additional costs, hmmm...maybe. Will have to think.

But thank you greatly for all of your assistance and explanation.

-Todd