How to fix Google voice voicemail not working

People who spend most of their time communicating with others through phone take advantage of free phone services such as Google Voice.

This is a telecommunication service that offers a lot of features, including voicemail. If you have been using Google voice, but the voicemail system is not working, you can easily fix it. You have to enable a feature known as conditional call forwarding. Enable this by entering commands that your carrier provides or through the carrier’s user interface. Here is more!

Find out what Google voice can do

Before 2009, Google Voice was popularly known as GrandCentral. Though this phone service has existed for a long time, many people still find it quite useful. Google Voice utilizes your Google account and gives you a different number to use for different activities such as calling, voicemail and messages on a smartphone or computer.

This service can sync across all your devices to help you manage messages and calls easily. You can set up your voicemails to go to Google Voice instead of your device. Apart from individuals, business owners also use Google Voice differently. For instance, you can have a specific phone number that you share with your vendors and business partners not to miss an important call despite your location.

For you to use Google Voice, you only need a Google account, an iOS or Android device, and a phone number that can forward calls once they ring. The process of signing up for this service is straightforward. You can even adjust your voice to suit different needs.

What you should do when Google voice voicemail is not working

Though Google Voice has made communication easier, it sometimes fails to work as expected. If Google voice voicemail is not working, it means that your cell phone’s voicemail system is grabbing the calls before this service can take the message. You can stop this by enabling a feature that is supplied by your carrier called conditional call forwarding. This feature is also referred to as busy transfer or no answer.

Once you enable this feature on your mobile device, you program the cell phone to send any unanswered or busy calls to your Google voice number. Using this feature can make Google voice start working properly once more. Since different phone service providers supply the conditional call forwarding feature, every carrier offers specific commands to enable it. The particular commands that you can use to enable conditional call forwarding vary based on the carrier you work with.

If you don’t know which commands to use, feel free to get in touch with your mobile carrier so that you can ask for its commands. Once you get the right commands to enable the feature, you should enter them on your phone’s keypad. Some people make the mistake of entering these commands on the keypad of the Google voice app. Doing this will not help you fix the problem. You should ensure that your Google voice number is the forwarding destination.

Are you an AT&T wireless customer? If yes, you will be given three commands that you can use to enable the conditional call forwarding feature. You need to enter each command you receive from the carrier one at a time on the phone’s keypad. After entering the first command, you should tap call or send, then hang up. You can then proceed with the next command and wait for confirmation.

If your carrier is Verizon, you can enable conditional call forwarding by either using star commands or using the menu on the company’s website. To enable this feature, you can enter the code that Verizon sends you on you the phone’s keypad. Open your phone app and type in *71, followed by your Google voice phone number. Once you do this, you need to wait for confirmation before hanging up.

If you don’t want to deal with codes, you can still enable conditional call forwarding through your Verizon account. Sign in to your Verizon account and then search for call forwarding. Once you get it, you will see some information displayed on your screen. Read it until you get to the section that reads cancel or set up call forwarding.

Click on the mobile number that you want to set up call forwarding for. Ensure you also click on the section that is labeled forward calls when my line is unanswered or busy. As you make the changes, you should also make sure that you enter your Google Voice number as your forwarding number. You can now click on update the status.

Navigate to settings and uncheck the section labeled screen calls and turn on the section labeled do not disturb. When you make these changes, and someone calls your Verizon number, it will be forwarded to Google Voice voicemail. The caller can therefore leave a voicemail since you have turned on the do not disturb mode.

Check out the commands to use to activate the conditional call forwarding

Conclusion

Google voice is a simple phone service that anyone can use. If you have been using it but have a problem trying to use Google Voice voicemail, you should find ways to fix this. Enabling conditional call forwarding can solve the problem. You need to enter the commands that your carrier sends for you to enable the feature.

FAQs

What does the do not disturb mode do?

This disables calls from Google voice. When you turn it on, a caller can only reach you by leaving a voicemail.

Can I replace my current Google Voice number?

Yes. If you want a different number from the one you have been using, you can request it through voice google.