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Android Native Visual Voicemail Trouble

J

I'm using a Pixel2XL on T-Mobile and the native Visual Voicemail (built into the Google Phone app) will not activate. The VM tab does show, and I have the option checked in the menu settings for the Phone app. I continue to get the messages "Visual Voicemail Activating" and "Can't activate Visual Voicemail". I have VVM on my plan via the ONE Plus add-on.

I have removed the T-Mobile VVM app as I know that it will deactivate the native VVM. I have reset network settings, restarted the phone, and spoken with both T-Mobile and Google. I have yet to be given a reason this is not working.

(Note: brought the phone over from Verizon but it's unlocked - all other data and voice functionality is good)

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Best answer by tmo_mike_c 2 March 2021, 16:40

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115 replies

D

As I just posted in the other thread mentioned, T-Mobile is switching VVM Platforms that's what is causing all the problems, they either know and want tell users, or their support staff are idiots and don't even know what is going on with their own company.  Mine quit Oct 1st, but I was unaware I wasn't getting notified I had any voice mails. I am not using their crappy VVM app which is what the rep told me to do. I tried it, it didn't work and I uninstalled it. MotoG4 Plus

I just looked on the NEWS tab on the T-Mobile site

T-Mobile provides multiple options for voicemail: Voicemail, Visual Voicemail (VVM), and Voicemail to Text (VTT).

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Starting September 29, BlackBerry and Windows Phone users voicemail will be moved to a new voicemail platform. This move will delete older messages

B
Userlevel 1
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When will you stop blocking native visual voicemail in the stock Android phone dialer app? People don't want to be forced to use the additional T-Mobile visual voicemail garbage app. Stop forcing your crapware on us.

A

@nakeddroid found the answer!

I followed his instructions and it worked perfectly with one additional step.

Here what I did...

1) Installed TMobile Visual Voicemail.

2) Activate Visual Voicemail using the TMobile Visual Voicemail app.

2) Listen to a voicemail inside of the TMobile Visual Voicemail app.

3) Delete TMobile Visual Voicemail app.

4) Open Android Phone Dialer. Go to Settings -> Voicemail. Turn off Visual Voicemail. Wait a few seconds. Turn back on Visual Voicemail.

At this point Visual Voicemail started working for me in the Android dialer and all voicemails show up, play and are transcribed.

Everything is working solid on my Pixel 3 now.

B
Userlevel 1
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https://www.change.org/p/t-mobile-carriers-to-unblock-built-in-stock-android-visual-voicemail?recruiter=1082422949&utm_s…

Please feel free to sign and share! We have to stop carriers blocking stick Android features!

D

I've been trying the steps outlined in the thread with no luck on the new Samsung Z Fold2 and the Google phone dialer now that its available for install.

For a split second I see the VM UI in the Google phone dialer, then it disappears completely. 

Any ideas? Also, once in awhile it will give me a notification that they don't have my vm phone number even though one is there... Does anyone know the actual vm # so I can validate its the right one?

P

Has anything changed with this? I just downloaded the app and it is telling me "SIM not ready or switched. Please check your SIM is inserted correctly and try again" on my Galaxy S9 and I'm not sure what to do with that because it's not the SIM

P

Its been over a year since this has been reported, has t-mobile given up on trying to fix this?  Its clear they’ve given up on the t-mobile voicemail app.  Would make sense to support the native android visual voicemail.

C

 @nakeddroid found the answer!

 

I followed his instructions and it worked perfectly with one additional step.

 

Here what I did...

 

1) Installed TMobile Visual Voicemail.

2) Activate Visual Voicemail using the TMobile Visual Voicemail app.

2) Listen to a voicemail inside of the TMobile Visual Voicemail app.

3) Delete TMobile Visual Voicemail app.

4) Open Android Phone Dialer. Go to Settings -> Voicemail. Turn off Visual Voicemail. Wait a few seconds. Turn back on Visual Voicemail.

 

At this point Visual Voicemail started working for me in the Android dialer and all voicemails show up, play and are transcribed.

 

Everything is working solid on my Pixel 3 now.

This worked for me as well on my Pixel 4a.

D

Latest update on the dialer shows me its attempting to activate voicemail, but never completes. 

L

 @nakeddroid found the answer!

 

I followed his instructions and it worked perfectly with one additional step.

 

Here what I did...

 

1) Installed TMobile Visual Voicemail.

2) Activate Visual Voicemail using the TMobile Visual Voicemail app.

2) Listen to a voicemail inside of the TMobile Visual Voicemail app.

3) Delete TMobile Visual Voicemail app.

4) Open Android Phone Dialer. Go to Settings -> Voicemail. Turn off Visual Voicemail. Wait a few seconds. Turn back on Visual Voicemail.

 

At this point Visual Voicemail started working for me in the Android dialer and all voicemails show up, play and are transcribed.

 

Everything is working solid on my Pixel 3 now.

I switched from Google Fi to T-Mobile and Visual Voicemail stopped working on my Pixel 3XL.  It would not transcribe or load the voicemail.  I followed these steps too and now working perfectly!   It takes like a minute to activate once I turned off Visual Voicemail and turned it back on though.   I thought it would just stuck there.

P
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Any updates on this issue? I'm having the same problem on Pixel 3a despite multiple installs and uninstalls, de/activations of Visual Voicemail.

Their support team has no clue either nor seem to care...

M
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I followed the instructions from Nakeddroid and I'm still having the same issue on my Pixel 4 XL. 

 

Very annoyed to see this continuing to be an issue.

S

Same issue. I had a Pixel 5, it worked perfectly. I ended up returning it because it was too small. 

Popped my SIM back into my iPhone, decided to use my 4XL, and I cannot get it to work. 

The T-Mobile VVM app is garbage. I like having the native dialer. 

M
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It's odd because I my Pixel 4 XL was working just fine, but it instantly stopped working after a factory reset. Same phone!

tmo_mike_c
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Userlevel 6
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UPDATED 7/13/2021: 

For folks wondering if their Native VVM app will work on T-Mobile’s network, here’s some helpful info. The native VVM app on Non-T-Mobile devices isn’t something T-Mobile can guarantee will work with the VVM service. This goes for other native apps as well. We recommend folks download T-Mobile Visual Voicemail app I’ve linked below and use the VVM service through that app. The second link I posted below is for troubleshooting if you happen to run into any issues. 

We have a couple articles that can help with this. Check out the two links below in relationship to the issue. 

T-Mobile Visual Voicemail app

Voicemail troubleshooting

 

 

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