# No Data = No Visual Voice Mail



## maxk (Jul 18, 2008)

Just got off the phone with Rogers Tech Support. They confirmed why my "data-less" iPhone is not able to get VVM working even though I have iPhone 3G Value Pack on it. So if you have a data block on the account VVM is not going to work as it uses data. Guess I'd have to decide on what's more important: neat Apple voice mail feature or no monthly data charges. They kinda screwed us over again.


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## Elric (Jul 30, 2005)

maxk said:


> Just got off the phone with Rogers Tech Support. They confirmed why my "data-less" iPhone is not able to get VVM working even though I have iPhone 3G Value Pack on it. So if you have a data block on the account VVM is not going to work as it uses data. Guess I'd have to decide on what's more important: neat Apple voice mail feature or no monthly data charges. They kinda screwed us over again.


I thought it was a given that it used data...


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## maxk (Jul 18, 2008)

Elric said:


> I thought it was a given that it used data...


Yes, but they specifically mentioned somewhere on their site that they don't charge for VVM data traffic, i.e. it's not included in your normal data plan/charges. Would only be logical that it can make it to work w/o a data package. And yes, they kinda can - with no blocks. You get a working VVM, but also a device that tries every now and then to connect to the Internet and incurs charges at 50¢ per MB.


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## JustAMacUser (Oct 21, 2007)

maxk said:


> Yes, but they specifically mentioned somewhere on their site that they don't charge for VVM data traffic, i.e. it's not included in your normal data plan/charges. Would only be logical that it can make it to work w/o a data package.


It actually seems quite logical that without data VVM doesn't work. The block they place on your account is non-discriminating.

Personally, I would sacrifice VVM if it meant I didn't have to have a $500 phone bill.

*Edit:* Oh, and 50-cents per MB? Really? I thought it was 5-cents per KB without a data plan.


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## darrenlovesmac (Apr 29, 2008)

I would tend to think Rogers is not able to selectively block data but allow the VVM data to slip through. That is asking a lot from any provider, isn't it? 

Darren


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## Neo (Jul 18, 2008)

I agree with JustAMacUser about the data plan naturally being a pre-requisite for VVM (which has been really useful for me for effective voicemail playback triage). IMHO, it is not worth getting an iPhone without the data plan ($30/month ala 6GB is practically unlimited for some if not most of us - seems reasonable). You have Phone+Internet+GPS+Camera that combine to give you the ultimate online experience on the road. I've been blown away with new applications that consolidate these four areas into very innovative and "usable" apps. For example, a free app called SmugMug uses the GPS to geo-tag pictures while its queuing function allows you to store the pictures on the phone before uploading to the smugmug website. On the website, you not only find your pictures tagged with comment and keyword. You get a map with drop-pins showing where and when the picture was taken. The feature itself is not a huge thing but the way the iPhone is used to make it seamless is. Or ..imagine adding the element of GPS to ebay where you can also view items being sold closest to your location. Furthermore, social networking apps like Loopt is only effective with a data plan. All these apps require a data connection to be effective. VVM is no different, voicemail is stored data (compressed voice which requires far more data storage than text messages) on a server. The iphone will retrieve this voicemail data as it does any other data on the internet.
I can sympathize with you that Rogers has screwed its subscribers many times over because of its monopoly on the GSM network - I have lost count as to how many times I felt like jumping the greedy ship. However, since succumbing to data plan pricing pressures (ala on-line petition) from it's subscribers, I personally think they demonstrated a good first step in pleasing its clients with a reasonable plan (that may not suit everyone ... but suit those who are using the iPhone for what it was designed to be - a Killer Phone that effectively uses phone+internet+GPS+camera).

My two cents.

Randy


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## Neo (Jul 18, 2008)

I agree with JustAMacUser about the data plan naturally being a pre-requisite for VVM (which has been really useful for me for effective voicemail playback triage). IMHO, it is not worth getting an iPhone without the data plan ($30/month ala 6GB is practically unlimited for some if not most of us - seems reasonable). You have Phone+Internet+GPS+Camera that combine to give you the ultimate online experience on the road. I've been blown away with new applications that consolidate these four areas into very innovative and "usable" apps. For example, a free app called SmugMug uses the GPS to geo-tag pictures while its queuing function allows you to store the pictures on the phone before uploading to the smugmug website. On the website, you not only find your pictures tagged with comment and keyword. You get a map with drop-pins showing where and when the picture was taken. The feature itself is not a huge thing but the way the iPhone is used to make it seamless is. Or ..imagine adding the element of GPS to ebay where you can also view items being sold closest to your location. Furthermore, social networking apps like Loopt is only effective with a data plan. All these apps require a data connection to be effective. VVM is no different, voicemail is stored data (compressed voice which requires far more data storage than text messages) on a server. The iphone will retrieve this voicemail data as it does any other data on the internet.
I can sympathize with you that Rogers has screwed its subscribers many times over because of its monopoly on the GSM network - I have lost count as to how many times I felt like jumping the greedy ship. However, since succumbing to data plan pricing pressures (ala on-line petition) from it's subscribers, I personally think they demonstrated a good first step in pleasing its clients with a reasonable plan (that may not suit everyone ... but suit those who are using the iPhone for what it was designed to be - a Killer Phone that effectively uses phone+internet+GPS+camera).

My two cents.

Randy


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

Actually, 5¢/kb works out to *$50 per megabyte*.

(a thousand kilobytes = a megabyte = a million bytes)


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## dani190 (Feb 20, 2008)

who can confirm this?


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## okcomputer (Jul 18, 2005)

dani190 said:


> who can confirm this?


Confirm what?

You need data access for Visual Voicemail to work. And I don't really see Rogers somehow opening up your data block so that only visual voicemail can access the data network...


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## G-Mo (Sep 26, 2007)

fjnmusic said:


> Actually, 5¢/kb works out to *$50 per megabyte*.
> 
> (a thousand kilobytes = a megabyte = a million bytes)


Actually, according to Rogers math 1MB=1000x1024KB (and 1GB=1000x1024MB), so... you are actually looking at $51.20 per MB!!


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## G-Mo (Sep 26, 2007)

dani190 said:


> who can confirm this?


You need data access for Visual Voicemail to work...

AND, *Visual Voicemail is downloaded to the iPhone via the cellular data network ONLY!* (WiFi will not work for VVM.)


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

That would make sense since the phone must be available at all times of day or night for someone to leave a message. Or must it? If there is no answer, one could always leave a message with the carrier. No data required for that.


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## G-Mo (Sep 26, 2007)

fjnmusic said:


> That would make sense since the phone must be available at all times of day or night for someone to leave a message. Or must it? If there is no answer, one could always leave a message with the carrier. No data required for that.


No ones leaves messages directly on the phone, even if it's on! They always leave the message with the carrier and then a notice is pushed to the phone to notify it that there is a message waiting and VVM (basically a pre-installed App) downloads the message and headers to the phone via the cellular data network...


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

So you actually shouldn't need a data plan to download information from another source like voicemail. You _could_ technically due to that when you are near a WiFi signal.


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## G-Mo (Sep 26, 2007)

fjnmusic said:


> So you actually shouldn't need a data plan to download information from another source like voicemail. You _could_ technically due to that when you are near a WiFi signal.


Visual Voicemail is downloaded to the iPhone via the cellular data network ONLY!

*It does not, IT WILL NOT, work over WiFi!*

(I would suggest that the VVM server is not web-facing...)


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## fjnmusic (Oct 29, 2006)

Yeah, I got that!!

But it doesn't _have_ to be that way. Data is data. It can be transmitted many ways: Edge, 3G, WiFi, Ethernet, to name a few. How do you access your e-mail on your home computer? Is it always there? Or do you download it by accessing a site?


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## G-Mo (Sep 26, 2007)

There's a reason it's the way it is, it's probably security, but perhaps it relies on the IMEI number of the phone, I don't know...


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## G-Mo (Sep 26, 2007)

There's a reason it's the way it is, it's probably security, but perhaps it relies on the IMEI number of the phone, I'm not familiar with the inner workings of VVM setup and config (server side)...


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## Elric (Jul 30, 2005)

The VVM data is not connected to the internet in any way shape or form. And yes, it is for security reasons. It is VERY secure, hence no need for "password" entry and no annoying voice welcoming you to blah blah blah..."...to save press 9, to delete press 7, to have me shut the hell up, just hang up... or press pound"


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## dani190 (Feb 20, 2008)

so if it wont work would rogers swap it for just voice mail, or is visual voice mail already voice mail and can just be accessed visually and normally?

Since im not getting data but are getting the iphone value pack


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## Elric (Jul 30, 2005)

dani190 said:


> so if it wont work would rogers swap it for just voice mail, or is visual voice mail already voice mail and can just be accessed visually and normally?
> 
> Since im not getting data but are getting the iphone value pack


Isn't it IN the value pack?


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## chas_m (Dec 2, 2007)

Duh.


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## uPhone (Jun 29, 2008)

chas_m said:


> Duh.


Your favvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvorite word! :lmao:


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## bubblegum (May 19, 2005)

*re: visual voice mail*

one question that comes to mind .... if one has the visual voice mail but not subscribe to the caller id/call display, will the visual voice mail displays any name at all? say, "smart" enough to refer to the contact name list inside the iPhone; thanks for the input in advance.


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