voice mail

messaging, business Any system for sending, storing and

retrieving audio messages, like a telephone answering

machine.

A voice mailbox is typically associated with a telephone

number or extension. When the number is called and the line

is busy or not answered, the caller hears a message left by

the owner and is given instructions for leaving a message or

other available options, such as paging the individual or

being transferred to an operator. The owner of a mailbox can

change the outgoing message or listen to incoming messages

after entering a PIN. Members of a voice mail system can

generally forward or broadcast messages to other members'

boxes.

The experience of two people trying to reach other by

telephone but always reaching each other's voice mail is

referred to as "(tele)phone tag".

(1996-11-03)