Understanding Voicemail Issues

Use this document to troubleshoot Voicemail problems on Android devices.

Resolution Steps by Scenario

Choose a scenario:

Voicemail troubleshooting scenarios

All incoming calls incorrectly route to voicemail

1. Make sure you are not on your phone when troubleshooting.
2. Make sure your handset has at least 2 bars of signal or calls may route to voicemail due to low signal.
3. If this is happening with a specific number and the number is stored in contacts, delete the contact and retest the issue.
4. Uninstall any downloaded applications that change call or contact management settings. Retest the issue if changes were made.
5. Power off your handset.
6. Wait 5 seconds and power on the handset.
7. Have a contact call you to test the issue.
8. If you still have the issue, contact us.

Receiving calls from own number

If you receive a call from your own mobile number, the paging notification option of the voicemail system is most likely turned on.  The paging notification will call the number stored when a new voicemail is left.

1. Call voicemail.
2. Turn off the voicemail pager notification by following the menus. See VoiceMail Menu & Shortcuts.
3. If you still have the issue, contact us.

Cannot call voicemail

1. Make sure you are not on your phone when troubleshooting.
2. If you are roaming, see How to Call Your Voicemail While Roaming.
3. Make sure your handset has at least 2 bars of signal.
4. Dial 123 or 1-805-637-7249 to try and access the voicemail.
   • If you are able to connect to the voicemail this way, but cannot while pressing and holding the 1 key, contact us.
5. Power off your handset.
6. Wait 5 seconds and power on the handset.
7. Retest calling your voicemail.
8. If you still have the issue, contact us.

Incorrect voicemail notification timestamps

Voicemail timestamp notifications (Message Waiting Indicators) are based on the location of your mobile number. For example, if your mobile number is for the state of Pennsylvania, your Voicemail MWIs will display in EST, even if you are in a different time zone.

Voicemail incorrectly prompts for password or you hear your own greeting

1. Make sure you are not on your phone when troubleshooting.
2. If you are roaming, the voicemail will ask for your password even if you have the Bypass Password feature turned on.
3. Dial #796# to turn off the voicemail password requirement.
4. Retest calling your voicemail.
5. Turn on the DTMF tones. See Call Functions > Call Settings in How Tos.
6. Make sure you have your Caller ID set to show. See Call Functions > Call Settings in How Tos.
7. Retest calling your voicemail.
8. If you still have the issue, contact us.

Poor voicemail message sound quality

1. If this occured with only one message, its possible the calling party's network was experiencing difficulties. Retest the issue by having that party place a call and leave a message.
2. If this is an intermittent problem, and you have stored messages with poor audio quality, do not delete them and contact us.

Unanswered calls to do not route to voicemail

1. Make sure you are not on your phone when troubleshooting.
2. If this occured with only one message, its possible the calling party's network was experiencing difficulties.
3. Dial ##04# and send the call to reset Call Forwarding.
4. Power off your handset.
5. Wait 5 seconds and power on the handset.
6. Have a contact call you to test the issue.
7. If you still have the issue, contact us.

Message Waiting Indicator (MWI) Scenarios

Receiving messages from 129

129 is the T-Mobile identifier for the voicemail paging option. When a caller selects the option to leave you a numeric page, the device receives a text message from sender '129' containing the phone number of the caller.

1. Call voicemail.
2. Turn off the voicemail pager notification by following the menus. See VoiceMail Menu & Shortcuts.
3. If you still have the issue, contact us.

Delayed voicemail notifications (MWI)

1. Make sure you are not on your phone when troubleshooting.
2. If your messages are received within 2 hours, and you can receive text messages, delays may be the result of network congestion. You may want to turn your phone off and back on again to help improve connectivity.
3. Delete all stored text messages. See Messaging in How Tos for steps on deleting messages.
4. Power off your handset.
5. Wait 5 seconds and power on the handset.
6. Have a contact call you and leave a message.
7. Send a message to yourself. If the message is not received, troubleshoot the issue as a cannot receive text messages issue.
8. Make sure you have the latest version of software on your handset. If changes were made, retest the issue.
9. If you still have the issue, contact us.

Voicemail notification (MWI) will not turn off

1. Make sure you are not on your phone when troubleshooting.
2. Send a message to yourself. If the message is not received, troubleshoot the issue as a cannot receive text messages issue.
3. Power off your handset.
4. Wait 5 seconds and power on the handset.
5. Have a contact call you and leave a message.
6. Call the voicemail and listen to the entire message, including menu prompts and then delete the message.
7. After deleting the message, press the Star * key to return to the main voicemail menu.
8. End the call to the voicemail.
9. If the Voicemail notification will still not turn off, contact us.

No voicemail notification deliver to my phone

1. Make sure you are not on your phone when troubleshooting.
2. Send a message to yourself. If the message is not received, troubleshoot the issue as a cannot receive text messages issue.
3. Power off your handset.
4. Wait 5 seconds and power on the handset.
5. Have a contact call you and leave a message.
6. If you still have the issue, contact us.

Voicemail Errors

Incorrect voicemail password

1. Make sure you are not on your phone when troubleshooting.
2. Make sure your account is active.
3. If you are roaming, you may experience the following:
   • Callers hear voicemail loop and cannot leave messages: While roaming on another network, callers may be routed to the main T-Mobile voicemail system. Callers can still leave voicemail messages by entering your mobile number. If you previously roamed on this carrier's network and callers did not experience this issue, contact us. We will work to resolve this, but typically, callers will be routed to the main T-Mobile voicemail system and have to enter your mobile number.
   • Voicemail loops when calling voicemail: See How to Call Your Voicemail While Roaming.
4. Make sure you have your Caller ID set to show. See Call Functions > Caller ID in How Tos.
5. Try calling your voicemail again.
6. Turn off your handset.
7. Wait 5 seconds and turn on your handset.
8. Try calling your voicemail again.
9. If you are still having the issue, contact us.

Looping error: 'Please enter your password'

1. Make sure you are not on your phone when troubleshooting.
2. If you are roaming, the voicemail will ask for your password even if you have the Bypass Password feature turned on.
3. Dial #796# to turn off the voicemail password requirement.
4. Retest calling your voicemail.
5. Turn on the DTMF tones. See Call Functions > Call Settings in How Tos.
6. Make sure you have your Caller ID set to show. See Call Functions > Call Settings in How Tos.
7. Retest calling your voicemail.
8. If you still have the issue, contact us.

Voicemail looping error: 'Please enter the 10 digit number you are trying to reach'

1. Make sure you are not on your phone when troubleshooting.
2. Make sure your account is active.
3. If you are roaming, you may experience the following:
   • Callers hear voicemail loop and cannot leave messages: While roaming on another network, callers may be routed to the main T-Mobile voicemail system. Callers can still leave voicemail messages by entering your mobile number. If you previously roamed on this carrier's network and callers did not experience this issue, contact us. We will work to resolve this, but typically, callers will be routed to the main T-Mobile voicemail system and have to enter your mobile number.
   • Voicemail loops when calling voicemail: See How to Call Your Voicemail While Roaming.
4. Make sure you have your Caller ID set to show. See Call Functions > Caller ID in How Tos.
5. Try calling your voicemail again.
6. Turn off your handset.
7. Wait 5 seconds and turn on your handset.
8. Try calling your voicemail again.
9. If you are still having the issue, contact us.

Visual Voicemail (VVM) troubleshooting

Cannot activate Visual Voicemail

1. Make sure you are not on your phone when troubleshooting.
2. Make sure your account is active and that you have both the Voicemail and Visual Voicemail (VVM) features on your account.
3. Make sure Wi-Fi is turned off.
4. Try accessing the web. If you are not able to access the web, troubleshoot this problem as a web browsing issue.
5. Clear the VVM application data cache.
6. Make sure you are using the latest version of the VVM application.
7. If VVM is not preloaded on the device, uninstall the application.
8. Download and re-install the VVM application.
9. If you are still having the issue, contact us.

Cannot download Visual Voicemail to the device

1. Make sure you are not on your phone when troubleshooting.
2. Make sure your account is active and that you have both the Voicemail and Visual Voicemail (VVM) features on your account.
3. Make sure Wi-Fi is turned off.
4. Try accessing the web. If you are not able to access the web, troubleshoot this problem as a web browsing issue.
5. If you haven't already, review and agree to the terms and conditions of the VVM application. Download it from the Market and select Accept if the Terms and Conditions screen appears when opening the app.
6. Power off your handset.
7. Wait 5 seconds and power on the handset.
8. If you are still having the issue, contact us.

Cannot play Visual Voicemail messages

1. Make sure you are not on your phone when troubleshooting.
2. Make sure your account is active and that you have both the Voicemail and Visual Voicemail (VVM) features on your account.
3. Make sure Wi-Fi is turned off.
4. Try accessing the web. If you are not able to access the web, troubleshoot this problem as a web browsing issue.
5. Turn off the VVM app.
6. Wait 5 seconds and turn on the VVM app.
7. Have a contact call you and leave a voicemail message.
8. Try playing the message using the VVM app.
9. If VVM is not preloaded on the device, uninstall the application.
10. Download and re-install the VVM application.
11. Have a contact call you and leave a voicemail message.
12. If you are still having the issue, contact us.

New Visual Voicemail messages are not downloading to the device

1. Make sure you are not on your phone when troubleshooting.
2. Make sure your account is active and that you have both the Voicemail and Visual Voicemail (VVM) features on your account.
3. Make sure Wi-Fi is turned off.
4. Try accessing the web. If you are not able to access the web, troubleshoot this problem as a web browsing issue.
5. Turn off the VVM app.
6. Wait 5 seconds and turn on the VVM app.
7. Have a contact call you and leave a voicemail message.
8. Try playing the message using the VVM app.
9. If VVM is not preloaded on the device, uninstall the application.
10. Download and re-install the VVM application.
11. Have a contact call you and leave a voicemail message.
12. If you are still having the issue, contact us.