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Is anyone else having problems with voicemail indicator not working?

D

dvader123

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 27, 2010
105
0
Here's my problem. I get a call. I don't pick up the call. Person leaves voicemail message. Normally, I would see a red dot on the voicemail tab showing that I received a voicemail.

I don't see that red dot indicator anymore even though I have a voicemail. I'm familiar with my settings so I know it's not due to any issue such as "Do not disturb" being turned on.

Interestingly enough, whenever I make a call from the "phone" app, I can see the red dot appear just before the screen goes black to display the phone options (keypad, facetime, contacts, etc.)

When I finish call, the red dot is no longer there even though I have a voicemail message.

I have an ip5s on verizon. When I got the phone a few months ago, my voicemail indicator was working fine, but it hasn't worked recently. I am wondering if it has to do with me upgrade I did to ios 8.1. Not 100% sure if I was having this problem just before the update, but I know that my voicemail indicator was working fine before.

Some info. I have my cellular data turned off almost all the time so that I can use the phone primarily on wifi. When I was having problems with the voicemail indicator, I decided to turn cellular data on and after a minute or two, the phone correctly shows the red dot on the voicemail tab. I do not want to have my cellular data turned on all the time because I do not have a large data plan. I was getting the voicemail indicator working just fine without the cellular data so I don't know what's going on.

Just another bit of information that might be helpful. I pretty much turned off all the location services except for "find my iphone". I don't think that should have anything to do with what's going on, but I noticed the problem around that time too.

Thanks and any help is appreciated.


FYI. I posted this on the ios8 forum because I thought it might be an ios8.1 problem, but I posted here because I was not getting any response. I hope people here might be a bit more helpful. Thanks.
 
When I had VM issues I did a simple reboot of the the iPhone. If that doesn't work take it to the Apple Store or Verizon.
 
Thanks for the replies. For those who say their VM indicator is working, can I ask you to try and turn off cellular while having a voicemail message in your inbox?

With cellular turned on, you should see that you have a voicemail. That's obvious, and that's working fine for me as well.

However, when cellular is turned off, then you should still get to see that you have a voicemail (albeit, not a visual one) message waiting for you to retrieve. That has been working fine for me until recently. I turn off cellular and suddenly, I don't see any new VM message indicated by the red dot over the voicemail tab on the phone app.

Is this an ios8.1 bug? Just wondering if others are having that issue? Remember, I am asking about getting voicemail indicator showing with cellular data off.
 
dvader123 said:
Thanks for the replies. For those who say their VM indicator is working, can I ask you to try and turn off cellular while having a voicemail message in your inbox?

With cellular turned on, you should see that you have a voicemail. That's obvious, and that's working fine for me as well.

However, when cellular is turned off, then you should still get to see that you have a voicemail (albeit, not a visual one) message waiting for you to retrieve. That has been working fine for me until recently. I turn off cellular and suddenly, I don't see any new VM message indicated by the red dot over the voicemail tab on the phone app.

Is this an ios8.1 bug? Just wondering if others are having that issue? Remember, I am asking about getting voicemail indicator showing with cellular data off.
Click to expand...

ok I called myself, got the dot, turned celluar data off and the dot is still there

8.1 Iphone 6

if its already off(celular data) and I leave another vm I do not get indicator
 
Last edited:
heisenberg123 said:
ok I called myself, got the dot, turned celluar data off and the dot is still there

8.1 Iphone 6

if its already off(celular data) and I leave another vm I do not get indicator
Click to expand...

Thanks for doing this. So I think this issue isn't just with me. Before, I wouldn't have this problem. I have my cellular data off for the most part, but when people leave a VM, then I won't know unless I:

1. Turn on cellular for a brief moment.
2. Just call my VM to check if anyone left a message.

I have an ip5s on verizon, but it looks like it's affecting ip6 as well. I wonder what coverage you have (i.e. att, verizon, etc.) because I wonder if it's an apple issue (ios8.1) or an issue with the provider.

Thanks, and just wondering this is a problem with others as well.

----------
dvader123 said:
Thanks for doing this. So I think this issue isn't just with me. Before, I wouldn't have this problem. I have my cellular data off for the most part, but when people leave a VM, then I won't know unless I:

1. Turn on cellular for a brief moment.
2. Just call my VM to check if anyone left a message.

I have an ip5s on verizon, but it looks like it's affecting ip6 as well. I wonder what coverage you have (i.e. att, verizon, etc.) because I wonder if it's an apple issue (ios8.1) or an issue with the provider.

Thanks, and just wondering this is a problem with others as well.
Click to expand...

By the way, I want to be clear. If the cellular is already off, and then you receive a VM, then there will be no indication on your phone app.

When I turn on cellular data then the VM indicator shows up. When I turn off cellular right after then the VM indicator will either stay on or off. I've have both instances happen. Recently, the VM indicator was still on after I turned off cellular data.

Try it out. Turn off cellular data. Have someone call you and leave a VM. You won't see the red dot indicator on the phone app.

Turn on cellular and there it appears. Turn it off and then see what happens.

Of course, this issue isn't a big deal for those who never turn off cellular, but for those that do, it's a problem. Just don't know who to ask for help.
 
Sorry for all these posts, but I did another test.

Cellular data off.
Called my iphone.
Left VM
Checked iphone for VM.
No VM red dot indication even though I left a message.
Cellular data on.
VM tab shows red dot correctly indicating a VM.
Cellular data off again.
VM red dot still showing.

So I think that I isolated the problem (at least on my own phone, and presumably on everyone else's if they give it a try.)

I am running an ip5s with ios8.1 on verizon. One person above said this issue was happening on his ip6 with ios8.1 (not sure about carrier). If above user has a different carrier then it probably is a ios8.1 issue.

In order to isolate that, I would need to try the above steps with someone still running the previous ios8 upgrade (the one just before 8.1).

Help me out by following the steps? At least let me know if this is widespread on ios8.1 devices. Thanks!
 
i am with Rogers(Canada)

Cellular data off.
Called my iphone.
Left VM
Checked iphone for VM.
No VM red dot indication even though I left a message.
Cellular data on.
VM tab shows red dot correctly indicating a VM.
Cellular data off again.
VM red dot still showing.

this is the same for me

new red dot needs cellular data, exisiting red dot not effected by turning data off
 
swordfish5736 said:
that seems like normal behavior. Visual Voicemail needs a data connection to receive messages.
Click to expand...
It would have been normal if that's how I experienced it since getting an iphone. However, that's not what I experienced initially. I was still able to know when I received a VM even with cellular data off.

Recently, I am unable to know when I received a VM with cellular data off. So to me, this is not normal because the phone is not doing what it was doing well before. I suspect ios8.1 update, but I am not entirely sure. The fact, as far as I can tell, is that this is effecting everyone including some close people who own iphones with ios8.1 update.

I should still be able to know when I have a VM without having to turn on cellular data, no? It was working fine before. Just wondering if this is a carrier problem or an apple problem.

----------
heisenberg123 said:
i am with Rogers(Canada)

Cellular data off.
Called my iphone.
Left VM
Checked iphone for VM.
No VM red dot indication even though I left a message.
Cellular data on.
VM tab shows red dot correctly indicating a VM.
Cellular data off again.
VM red dot still showing.

this is the same for me

new red dot needs cellular data, exisiting red dot not effected by turning data off
Click to expand...
Thanks. So I don't think it has to do with the carrier since we are both having this issue with different carriers.

It's probably an ios8.1 issue. I wonder if someone with the previous ios8.0.2 can try this out and see if the same problem exists. If so, then I'm almost certain that it's an ios8.1 bug.

Thanks.
 
Yes - me too

I have this problem - it happened today for the first time. ios 8.1 on Vodafone UK
 
dvader123 said:
It would have been normal if that's how I experienced it since getting an iphone. However, that's not what I experienced initially. I was still able to know when I received a VM even with cellular data off.

Recently, I am unable to know when I received a VM with cellular data off. So to me, this is not normal because the phone is not doing what it was doing well before. I suspect ios8.1 update, but I am not entirely sure. The fact, as far as I can tell, is that this is effecting everyone including some close people who own iphones with ios8.1 update.

I should still be able to know when I have a VM without having to turn on cellular data, no? It was working fine before. Just wondering if this is a carrier problem or an apple problem.

----------


Thanks. So I don't think it has to do with the carrier since we are both having this issue with different carriers.

It's probably an ios8.1 issue. I wonder if someone with the previous ios8.0.2 can try this out and see if the same problem exists. If so, then I'm almost certain that it's an ios8.1 bug.

Thanks.
Click to expand...


Is it possible the notification before was happening once your device picked up a remembered wifi network? Visual voicemail requires data to do anything so I'm not sure how it could pull down new messages. They state this in a support page about cellular data: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4146




Also, IOS for awhile now has provided per app cellular data permissions. Is there any particular reason you shut off data completely?

You can file a bug report with apple at Bugreport.apple.com to see if they consider it expected behavior or not.
 
Last edited:
swordfish5736 said:
Is it possible the notification before was happening once your device picked up a remembered wifi network? Visual voicemail requires data to do anything so I'm not sure how it could pull down new messages. They state this in a support page about cellular data: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4146




Also, IOS for awhile now has provided per app cellular data permissions. Is there any particular reason you shut off data completely?

You can file a bug report with apple at Bugreporter.apple.com to see if they consider it expected behavior or not.
Click to expand...
The apple support page says that data must be on in order use visual voicemail. I don't dispute that. It's just that I was able to know whether I received voice messages or not without data even though it wasn't in a visual format.

I could turn on data, but I must admit that one of the reasons why I don't is because I do not completely trust that data won't be used even with all the other apps turned off. I don't want to accidentally use up my limited data from something stupid. I save it for emergencies like if I am lost and don't have wifi anywhere.

In any case, I'm completely satisfied staying on wifi. Although, I'm sure I'm in the minority with the way I use my iphone, I know there are still many users like me who turn off cellular. We should still be able to know whether we received a VM or not. We were able to know before the iOS8.1 update.

Thanks for the bugreporter link. I just glanced at it and didn't understand how to report the bug so I'll have to spend a bit more time reporting this bug.

Thanks.
 
dvader123 said:
The apple support page says that data must be on in order use visual voicemail. I don't dispute that. It's just that I was able to know whether I received voice messages or not without data even though it wasn't in a visual format.

I could turn on data, but I must admit that one of the reasons why I don't is because I do not completely trust that data won't be used even with all the other apps turned off. I don't want to accidentally use up my limited data from something stupid. I save it for emergencies like if I am lost and don't have wifi anywhere.

In any case, I'm completely satisfied staying on wifi. Although, I'm sure I'm in the minority with the way I use my iphone, I know there are still many users like me who turn off cellular. We should still be able to know whether we received a VM or not. We were able to know before the iOS8.1 update.

Thanks for the bugreporter link. I just glanced at it and didn't understand how to report the bug so I'll have to spend a bit more time reporting this bug.

Thanks.
Click to expand...


When on wifi is it able to see a new message has come in?

what is your monthly data allotment?

The steps you've provided here to test and a good description of the behavior pre-8.1 and now post-8.1 should get things rolling.

You could also try a hard reset(hold the home and power buttons till the screen goes blank and apple logo pops up).
 
swordfish5736 said:
When on wifi is it able to see a new message has come in?

what is your monthly data allotment?

The steps you've provided here to test and a good description of the behavior pre-8.1 and now post-8.1 should get things rolling.

You could also try a hard reset(hold the home and power buttons till the screen goes blank and apple logo pops up).
Click to expand...
1. When I am on wifi while cellular data is off, I see that I missed a call, but if the caller left a voicemail (vm), then I do not see anywhere on the phone that a vm has been left. I mentioned this already, but if you call someone from the phone app, you can actually see the "red dot" appear for a brief second before your screen goes black and into the screen with the keypad, contact, mute, etc. options. Once the call is over, then the red dot is no longer there. It seems to only appear just after you call someone and just before the black screen appears. I hope that made sense.

2. I have the lowest data plan for verizon. I think it's 200mb. It's small, I know, but I have not had any trouble with my iphone because of it. I'm perfectly happy using the phone on wifi and turning on cellular only for emergencies. I prefer to keep it off just in case I accidentally watch a video on cellular thinking I was on wifi the entire time.

Again, I was able to see that I had a voicemail when I had cellular turned off with wifi turned on. Now with this update, it appears that I (and a few others) are having this problem. If you keep cellular turned on then I guess there's no issue, but for those that prefer to keep it off, then we can go days or maybe weeks without even knowing that someone left us a voice message. That's not good.

3. I provided the steps for those on 8.1 or even 8.0.2, but I don't see too many people trying it out. Wish more people would contribute.

Thanks.

----------
dvader123 said:
1. When I am on wifi while cellular data is off, I see that I missed a call, but if the caller left a voicemail (vm), then I do not see anywhere on the phone that a vm has been left. I mentioned this already, but if you call someone from the phone app, you can actually see the "red dot" appear for a brief second before your screen goes black and into the screen with the keypad, contact, mute, etc. options. Once the call is over, then the red dot is no longer there. It seems to only appear just after you call someone and just before the black screen appears. I hope that made sense.

2. I have the lowest data plan for verizon. I think it's 200mb. It's small, I know, but I have not had any trouble with my iphone because of it. I'm perfectly happy using the phone on wifi and turning on cellular only for emergencies. I prefer to keep it off just in case I accidentally watch a video on cellular thinking I was on wifi the entire time.

Again, I was able to see that I had a voicemail when I had cellular turned off with wifi turned on. Now with this update, it appears that I (and a few others) are having this problem. If you keep cellular turned on then I guess there's no issue, but for those that prefer to keep it off, then we can go days or maybe weeks without even knowing that someone left us a voice message. That's not good.

3. I provided the steps for those on 8.1 or even 8.0.2, but I don't see too many people trying it out. Wish more people would contribute.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Oh and I was able to replicate the problem at the Apple store today with a genius person using his phone. This is a pervasive problem that no one is talking about. I did the hard reset. I even did a reset of the entire device including settings. None of it worked. I left with a headache because I had to restore my settings one step and a time. It was annoying, but I guess it was worth it to eliminate possible solutions.

Lastly, I reported the bug to apple, but I can't imagine if they'd actually look at it when I consider the large number of complaints and requests they must be receiving on a daily basis. Hoping for a good response soon.
 
Since upgrading to iOS 8 I can't get my voicemails. It wants me to set it up as if it was new, so I put in the correct password and in the end it says my old password is incorrect. WTF!
 
dvader123, I've been having the same voicemail problem on my iPhone 4, running ios 6, so it can't be purely ios 8-related. Tried upgrading to ios 7, no change.
 
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