Telephone Services at UVa

Using the PhoneMail System

"Hello. This is the PhoneMail system...." The PhoneMail voice messaging system allows you to record, send, and receive voice messages from any touch-tone phone or equivalent, any hour of the day. The PhoneMail system guides you through the steps necessary to leave and retrieve voice messages with a series of verbal prompts.

System Features and Use Instructions

  • You will know when you have received a PhoneMail message because the telephone's message waiting light (MSGWT on ROLMphones) will flash. You will also get an interrupted dialtone if you have PhoneMail messages.
  • When you first use PhoneMail, your password is set to "111". Change your PhoneMail password to a new value immediately.
    1. Get dial tone.
    2. Dial the PhoneMail direct access number. To find out which number you should call, refer to the PhoneMail Direct Access Numbers list. (If you are dialing in from off Grounds, you must enter the entire 7-digit PhoneMail direct access number; if long distance, also dial the "434" area code.) The PhoneMail system will greet you and guide you from this point.
    3. Enter your 5-digit extension number or # as needed. (If you are dialing from your own phone, simply press the pound (#) key. If you're dialing in from another phone, dial the last five digits of your phone number, then press #.)
    4. Enter your initial password (111), then #.
    5. Select Mailbox Options (9).
    6. Select Password (3).
    7. Follow prompts to enter a new password.
    8. For your own privacy and security, you should change your password periodically.
  • To retrieve (listen to) a PhoneMail message:
    1. Get dial tone.
    2. Dial PhoneMail direct access number. To find out which number you should call, refer to the PhoneMail Direct Access Numbers list. (If you are dialing in from off Grounds, you must enter the entire 7-digit PhoneMail direct access number; if long distance, also dial the "434" area code.) The PhoneMail system will greet you and guide you from this point.
    3. Enter your 5-digit extension or # as needed. (If you are dialing from your own phone, simply press the pound (#) key. If you're dialing in from another phone, dial the last five digits of your phone number, then press #.)
    4. Enter your password, then #.
    5. Follow prompts to listen to your messages.
  • After you listen to one of your own messages:
    1. press 6 to delete the message; or
    2. press 4 to save the message; or
    3. press 7, then press 3 to replay the message.
    4. Your PhoneMail has space for 10 messages.
  • Recording messages for when you're not available to answer your phone:
    • Please note that you and your roommate share a single PhoneMail mailbox and set of greetings. There are two kinds of information you can record for callers. First, you can record your names so that anyone who is unable to reach you can make sure they haven't dialed a wrong number.
      1. From the main menu, press 8 for answering options.
      2. Press 4, then press 1.
      3. When prompted, record your names.
      4. Press star (*) then press pound (#) when you complete the recording.
    • PhoneMail also allows you to record a regular greeting that will play back for callers when you are unavailable to answer your phone.
      1. From the main menu, press 8 for answering options.
      2. Press 1 for regular greetings, then press 1 again.
      3. When prompted, record two greetings: one that plays when no one answers the phone and one that plays when the line is busy.
      4. Press star (*) then press pound (#) when you complete the recording.
  • Guest Access: If you want to leave a message for a person who has PhoneMail, you can use "guest access" to leave him/her a message without causing his/her phone to ring. To use guest access, dial the guest access number and follow the instructions. You must be calling from a touch-tone phone.
  • Leaving Messages: Below is a list of PhoneMail features you can use when you are leaving a PhoneMail message for someone. You must be calling from a touch-tone phone to use these features:
    1. Press *7 to replay your message.
    2. Press *61 to re-record your message.
    3. Press *6 to cancel message delivery.
    4. Press 1 to skip over the called party's greeting and leave your message after the beep.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the PhoneMail Help Desk at 4-4183. The desk is staffed from 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday. If you are experiencing a problem with PhoneMail at a time when the Help Desk is not staffed, please call Siemens Repair at 4-8600 to report the problem. That number is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

PhoneMail Access Numbers

PhoneMail access numbers for faculty and staff are available from your departmental telephone counselor. PhoneMail access numbers for students living in residence halls on Grounds are provided in the chart below. Use these numbers in conjunction with the instructions provided above.

Important Note: Prefixes for local number are as follows: 2-xxxx is 982-xxxx; 3-xxxx is 243-xxxx; 4-xxxx is 924-xxxx; and 7-xxxx is 297-xxxx. You will need to dial the entire number if calling from off Grounds. Long-distance area code is 434.

Residence Hall Access Number Residence Hall Access Number Residence Hall Access Number
Balz 3-1020 Bice 3-5348 Bonnycastle 3-4399
Cauthen 3-8668 Copeley III and IV 3-8668 Courtenay 3-1020
Crackerbox 3-8668 Dabney 3-4399 Davis 3-8668
Dillard 2-5030 Dobie 3-1020 Dunglison 3-1020
Dunnington 3-1020 East Lawn 3-8668 East Range 3-8668
Echols 3-4399 Emmet 3-4399 Fitzhugh 3-1020
French House 3-5348 Gildersleeve 3-8668 Gooch 2-5030
Gwathmey 3-5348 Hancock 3-4399 Harrison 3-8668
Hench 3-8668 Holmes 3-8668 Hoxton 3-5348
Humphries 3-4399 Johnson 3-5348 Kent 3-4399
Lambeth 3-3450 Lefevre 3-4399 Lewis 3-5348
Lile 3-1020 Long 3-8668 Mallet 3-8668
Malone 3-5348 Mary Munford 3-5348 Maupin 3-1020
McGuffey 3-8668 Metcalf 3-4399 Mitchell 3-8668
Monroe 3-4439 Norris 3-5348 Page 3-4399
Peters 3-8668 Rogers 3-8668 Russian House 3-1020
Shea House 3-4399 Smith 3-8668 Spanish House 3-8668
Tucker 3-8668 Tuttle 3-1020 Venable 3-8668
Watson 3-1020 Webb 3-1020 Weedon 3-5348
West Lawn 3-8668 West Range 3-8668 Whyburn 3-5348
Woody House 2-5030 Younger 3-8668

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