For those who use an iphone exclusively on wifi w/o no cellular data.Question for you

[dvader123]

How do you find out if you have a voicemail? Visual voicemail can only be used with cellular data. If someone leaves you a voicemail, then you'll get visual voicemail notification, but only if you have cellular data on in the settings.

But if you have cellular data off, and use the phone exclusively on wifi, then how are you getting voicemail notifications on your iphone?

Thanks.

 

[eelw]

Are you using iPhone without a cellular plan or are you using voice over Wifi feature? If no cell plan, how would you make calls in the first place? Voice messages would come from the VOIP system you're using and not through standard phone app. If your cell provider supports voice over Wifi calling, then it's still connected directly through provider but just taking a different pathway than cellular.

 

[richard13]

How do you find out if you have a voicemail? Visual voicemail can only be used with cellular data. If someone leaves you a voicemail, then you'll get visual voicemail notification, but only if you have cellular data on in the settings.

But if you have cellular data off, and use the phone exclusively on wifi, then how are you getting voicemail notifications on your iphone?

Thanks.

I don't really understand your question. If someone were to use their phone exclusively on wifi as I do on my Windows Phone (at work) how can anybody leave a voicemail in the first place?

BTW, I do have an iPhone but that one does have cell service.

 

[CEmajr]

I don't really understand your question. If someone were to use their phone exclusively on wifi as I do on my Windows Phone (at work) how can anybody leave a voicemail in the first place?

BTW, I do have an iPhone but that one does have cell service.

I think the OP means using an iPhone without a data plan. Meaning he still has cell service for talking and texting, just no data plan.

Without visual voicemail I think you can get your voicemails the old fashioned way by calling the voicemail number, putting in your voicemail password, and listening to them.

 

[richard13]

I think the OP means using an iPhone without a data plan. Meaning he still has cell service for talking and texting, just no data plan.

Without visual voicemail I think you can get your voicemails the old fashioned way by calling the voicemail number, putting in your voicemail password, and listening to them.

Ah, thanks. That does make sense. I guess I just never heard of someone with a smartphone and cell service but no data service before. Good catch.

 

[pooleman]

Ah, thanks. That does make sense. I guess I just never heard of someone with a smartphone and cell service but no data service before. Good catch.

My daughter uses my old iPhone 4 on the AT&T Go plan. She has 250 minutes of talking and unlimited text per month for $25 a month. If the gets a voicemail she just sees that there is a message but not who it is from. She then just calls the voicemail like the old days and hears he message.

 

[dvader123]

I think the OP means using an iPhone without a data plan. Meaning he still has cell service for talking and texting, just no data plan.

Without visual voicemail I think you can get your voicemails the old fashioned way by calling the voicemail number, putting in your voicemail password, and listening to them.

Sorry for the confusion, but yes you are right. This is what I meant.

However, I am not asking about how you would check your voicemail. I am asking about how you would KNOW whether you received a voicemail if you have your data off?

In other words, let's say I called you and left a message in your voicemail inbox. You would know that you missed a call, and that it was from me. But how would you know that I left a message? The iphone doesn't give you a notification that you received a voicemail if you turned off data?

 

[CEmajr]

Sorry for the confusion, but yes you are right. This is what I meant.

However, I am not asking about how you would check your voicemail. I am asking about how you would KNOW whether you received a voicemail if you have your data off?

In other words, let's say I called you and left a message in your voicemail inbox. You would know that you missed a call, and that it was from me. But how would you know that I left a message? The iphone doesn't give you a notification that you received a voicemail if you turned off data?

You should still get the red dot on the phone icon to show that there's a voicemail. It just won't show the number of voicemails. Just a blank red circle.

 

[dvader123]

You should still get the red dot on the phone icon to show that there's a voicemail. It just won't show the number of voicemails. Just a blank red circle.

That's exactly my point. I don't get the red dot indicating a voicemail.

My guess is that you guys won't get it either if you have iOS 8.1 and perform the following actions. It's very easy to replicate.

1 Go to settings and turn off data.
2. Have someone call you and leave a voice message.
3. Just wait a reasonable amount of time to get the red dot indication of a voicemail in your inbox.

My strong guess is that you won't get that red dot indication. If you have iOS 8.1, then try it out. The only way you'll get to know whether a voicemail is in your inbox is to go to your settings and turn on data. Then visual voicemail will work and you'll get the correct notification.

This is a big problem for those who do not want to turn on data. Simply put, these people will never know they have a voicemail waiting for them unless they 1) suspect a voicemail is waiting for them and check or 2) just happen to call their voicemail to see if a message is there.

Either way, they won't get a voicemail notification - a feature so basic that you can find it in your ordinary dumb phone.

Seriously try it out. Follow the steps and let me know if you can reproduce the problem. That's why I'm asking people who turn off data how they get voicemail notifications when it appears that you can only get it with data on.

 

[dvader123]

Aren't there people who use their iphones without the data turned on?

 

[Chatter]

Aren't there people who use their iphones without the data turned on?

I hope you find more people to help but I dont know of anyone who uses their phone like this. Plus I cannot replicate this experience of yours (just tried it). Sorry.

For me there is no reason to turn data off if wifi is on - you can just default to wifi calling (on TMo) and all web usage goes over wifi. But I am sure you have a reason to turn data off.

 

[solodogg]

for this to work, you would have to disable visual voicemail. regular voicemail will give the red dot on the phone icon, but visual voicemail relies on the data to function.

 

[dvader123]

I hope you find more people to help but I dont know of anyone who uses their phone like this. Plus I cannot replicate this experience of yours (just tried it). Sorry.

For me there is no reason to turn data off if wifi is on - you can just default to wifi calling (on TMo) and all web usage goes over wifi. But I am sure you have a reason to turn data off.

Thanks Chatter. Do you have ios 8.1? Did you turn off data first and then leave the voicemail message to your phone?

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for this to work, you would have to disable visual voicemail. regular voicemail will give the red dot on the phone icon, but visual voicemail relies on the data to function.

I have Verizon and they told me that they cannot disable visual voicemail because it's built into the apple iphone.

 

[Chatter]

Thanks Chatter. Do you have ios 8.1? Did you turn off data first and then leave the voicemail message to your phone?

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Yup, iOS 8.1 and I did turn off data. But I am on TMo so maybe that is the difference? I do have wifi calling active. I should try by turning that off as well along with the data.
Also I do NOT use the "text" version of visual vm. I click on the message to play. Just fyi.

 

[dvader123]

Thanks Chatter. Do you have ios 8.1? Did you turn off data first and then leave the voicemail message to your phone?

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Yup, iOS 8.1 and I did turn off data. But I am on TMo so maybe that is the difference? I do have wifi calling active. I should try by turning that off as well along with the data.
Also I do NOT use the "text" version of visual vm. I click on the message to play. Just fyi.

It looks like you did everything correctly. I would try turning off wifi calling and doing it again (if you want).

I don't think it makes a different that you were on TMo or another carrier because I personally witnessed this problem with ATT and Verizon, and others here on the forums reported the problem from carriers in Canada and the UK.

Still, if you are correct that you still get the notification then I would be happy, but there must be something else going on. I'd just be a little confused as well as to why.

 

[Chatter]

It looks like you did everything correctly. I would try turning off wifi calling and doing it again (if you want).

I don't think it makes a different that you were on TMo or another carrier because I personally witnessed this problem with ATT and Verizon, and others here on the forums reported the problem from carriers in Canada and the UK.

Still, if you are correct that you still get the notification then I would be happy, but there must be something else going on. I'd just be a little confused as well as to why.

Ya - I am stumped but that doesnt mean much. Hopefully some more tech savvy folks have an explanation!

 

[dvader123]

So if most people are not having this problem then something is just wrong with my phone and the few others I have seen.

Can I get my iphone replaced?

 

[The1andOnlyO]

I know I'm late with a comment to this thread, as I just found it because I was looking for information for do you need cellular data turned on to get an icon alerting you to if you have voicemail. Yes you do. I turn my cellular data off because I have the Iphone 6 with a little bit of data. I switched from an Iphone 4 that barely used any data to the Iphone 6 that seemed to guzzle data, probably because of the LTE, so I turned off the cellular data. Today I went to an appointment that was canceled and wondered why didn't the person leave me a message. They did. I called my number and found out that I had nine missed messages, from numbers I never even knew called me. I turned on my cellular data today, called myself on another phone and it alerted me that I had a message and also showed me the other messages and calls I missed.

Sorry for the confusion, but yes you are right. This is what I meant.

However, I am not asking about how you would check your voicemail. I am asking about how you would KNOW whether you received a voicemail if you have your data off?

In other words, let's say I called you and left a message in your voicemail inbox. You would know that you missed a call, and that it was from me. But how would you know that I left a message? The iphone doesn't give you a notification that you received a voicemail if you turned off data?

 

[C DM]

Well, in situations like that, it might be better to use a different voicemail service (one that could even provide more features), like that which you can use through Google Voice or YouMail or something similar. You can get notifications via regular push notifications (so any data connection should work, even just WiFi), you can get voicemail notifications (and even transcripts) emailed and texted to you, you can listen to voicemail, you can manage all kinds of other features (including some spam/blocking features, custom greetings, etc.).