cant edit voice mail number on new 8X

[Yrral3215]

Just got a new HTC 8X. Im trying to edit the voice mail number so that it puts in my password automatically. I keep getting an error that says it cant save my new number right now and to try again.

Anyone else having this issue and is there a fix?

 

[11B1P]

Can it be edited by your carrier?

 

[Yrral3215]

So far they are hopeless. The "tech" I spoke to sounded like they had never heard of anyone putting their voicemail password in the number. I have been doing that for ages under every carrier Ive ever used. Then I was told the phone could NOT do pauses. Then she told me to use a 'P' instead of a comma to add a pause, but the keyboard on that screen will not allow you to enter ANY letters at all. She couldnt understand that either. It was a waste of 30 minutes of my time

I tried editing my backed up numbers on My Verizon on-line, but they are having major issues right now. My Verizon and the back-up system is very wonky. I even got a message at one point that my phone was not compatible with Verizon!

I DID get a response that actually made sense from HTC tech support via e-mail just a few minutes ago. She said she was unable to replicate the error and asked me to clarify several things. I just e-mailed her back, so we will see what comes of that - soon I hope.

 

[msdugn]

I tried this many different ways and finally gave up. I use RapDailer for my phone calls now (gives me the text lookup I'm used to from the Droid) and allows me to program any number I want into any sequence. So I use speed-dial #1 for my Voicemail + VM password combined with pauses in between.

Dumbest shortcoming I've seen in a while.

 

[Yrral3215]

I may have to try that if HTC cant give a fix.

My major complaints are the lack of an indicator light for messages, missed calls etc, no SWYPE keyboard and no second set of characters with a long press and of course this issue with the voicemail password and commas.

I like almost every thing else about it.

Oh wait - the lack of apps

 

[ny_yankees]

Whats wrong with *86 on verizon?

 

[Yrral3215]

*86 works fine on Verizon. What I am trying to do is change the number thats dialed on my phone when I call voicemail so that I am automatically taken straight to my inbox. I have been using this number for many many years:

*86,,#password#,1

That number will take you straight to your inbox and you dont have to wait and listen to the greeting and you dont have to type in your password. Far fewer key strokes and much faster.

The problem is that my 8X will not allow me to save the number if it has any commas in it. The commas are needed to pause the dialing after the *86 so that Voicemail has time to answer before you send the password. Without the commas the number just fails to go through at all. With the commas in place I get error messages from the phone. You can also use 'p' to pause the dialing in some cases, but the keyboard that comes up in this screen will not allow you to enter any letters.

I just tried Rapdialer and it allows you to program speed dial to the correct number and it works just fine. However, I hate having to use an app to do something the phone should do easily.

 

[11B1P]

@Yrral, I know what you're referring to. I have done it on previous phones too. I'll haven't even tried on the last couple phones. I'm going to work on it today.

 

[msdugn]

...The problem is that my 8X will not allow me to save the number if it has any commas in it. The commas are needed to pause the dialing after the *86 so that Voicemail has time to answer before you send the password. Without the commas the number just fails to go through at all. With the commas in place I get error messages from the phone. You can also use 'p' to pause the dialing in some cases, but the keyboard that comes up in this screen will not allow you to enter any letters.

Even though the keyboard doesn't allow you to add 'p' for pauses or 'w' for wait, you can copy them from Word/OneNote and paste them into the voicemail field. But the dumb design doesn't retain the string after you paste it into the field and save it. Dumb.

So, I'm left with having two tiles: the standard phone tile to see pending voicemails, and another (RapDialer) to quickly open another phone app and speed-dial my voicemail with the string that sends my password. In the perfect WP world, you should be able to tap a dedicated tile to go straight to voicemail - using your custom string - if you have pending VMs. Going to the phone app, then deciding whether you want to dial a number, look up a contact or check your voice mail is an awkward, Droid-like experience.

On Verizon, it's even more confusing for new folks: Verizon placed an app misleadingly titled, "Voicemail" - actually their Visual Voicemail ($2/month fee), which is not a link to your standard voicemail (!). I've helped countless people who were tripped up by this (or accepted the $2/month fee suspecting that's the only way they could get their voicemails).

While it would be nice to have one tile to both alert you to pending VMs and give you one-tap access to them, that's not the way it is in WP8. And Verizon's deceptive 'voicemail' app makes one more thing to trip you up.

 

[Yrral3215]

I will try the copy paste and see what my phone does.

My local Costco VZW sales person suggested another work around. I have a contact labeled Voicemail which has the correct number. Pin that contact to the start screen next to the stock dialer. Its still 2 taps - one opens the contact the second dials it.

Havent heard back from the HTC support person yet. Probably wont till after the holidays.

 

[11B1P]

I will try the copy paste and see what my phone does.

My local Costco VZW sales person suggested another work around. I have a contact labeled Voicemail which has the correct number. Pin that contact to the start screen next to the stock dialer. Its still 2 taps - one opens the contact the second dials it.

I had this same thought.

 

[Yrral3215]

I get the same results doing a copy/paste of p or w - the phone refuses to save the changes.

 

[techgeek32#WN]

I get the same results doing a copy/paste of p or w - the phone refuses to save the changes.

Yep. The only way is to create a new contact called VM, unfortunately that doesnt make it seemless to tap on the original VM tile to hear a message. Especially if driving. Thst is why I returned my 8x. I drive alot and need safe easy access to listen to a VM automatically. Works perfectly on my Note 2.

 

[Yrral3215]

I heard back from HTC tech support.

After some further research, it seems that changing the voicemail number in this manner is not supported by the device. If you are able to set up a contact with your voicemail number and this works correctly, I would suggest using this for the time being.
However, I would like to gather some information about your device and some contact information in case someone would like to contact you about this issue. Please provide the following:

She asked for more information about the phone, software, settings, etc, so hopefully someone at HTC will look into this and follow up.