Hi,
I have a non-Tmobile provided Android 10 phone that has native Visual Voicemail app. Can I get that to work WITHOUT using T-Mobile Visual Voicemail app? If so how?
Thanks,
Sujith
Best answer by ozozznozzy
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I was going to add this to another thread, but it was locked. I discovered a work around. (persistence was key here). Note that I am not an expert, and your mileage may vary.
- If the T-Mobile account is older than a couple years, the voicemail box (on T-Mobile's end) needs an update. In order to do this, the user needs to request that a T-Mobile rep reset their voicemail account. (completely reset back to new)
- The voicemail box then needs to be authorized for visual voicemail, which is done through the T-Mobile Visual Voicemail app. The user should not accept any of the extra services, as this will designate the Visual Voicemail app as the only usable external app for the T-Mobile voicemail service.
- Then the user must delete the T-Mobile visual voicemail app from their phone. This app blocks the voicemail user settings on android devices and cannot remain installed if the user wants to use stock or built-in voicemail services.
- The user can then restart their device and activate visual voicemail in the stock Google phone app.
I have tested this on a few different android devices, including a Oneplus 9, Oneplus 6t, and a Samsung Galaxy A50. So far, it works 100% of the time. This tells me that it is likely a T-Mobile software issue, but I'm mostly just glad that there seems to be a common solution.
Please like my reply if this solution worked for you. If you are not willing to do all these steps.. then unless you have a Nexus device or an IPhone, get comfy with the T-Mobile visual voicemail app. A lot of people have spent a lot of time looking for a solution.
The user should not accept any of the extra services, as this will designate the Visual Voicemail app as the only usable external app for the T-Mobile voicemail service.
Can you explain what you mean by “extra services”? Just want to make sure I’m not denying something I shouldn’t
Can you explain what you mean by “extra services”? Just want to make sure I’m not denying something I shouldn’t
Hey boopbeepboop, It has been a while since I had done this and I don’t quite remember. I’m pretty sure I just meant the “setup voicemail to text” or the “spam filter” services. You know.. the ones that are free for a time and then cost like $4 a month or something.
The biggest point here is that T-Mobile needs to manually reset your voicemail account. Like completely factory reset it. I believe it has something to do with cache or updates or something on their end. I imagine it is hard for them to push global updates on millions of voicemail accounts without bothering some people, so they probably just don’t get around to it often.
That being said, after T-Mobile resets your voicemail completely and you go through these other steps, your voicemail box should be Android ready and should connect to the stock voicemail service seamlessly. At least the 3 phones I tried this on had success.
The biggest point here is that T-Mobile needs to manually reset your voicemail account. Like completely factory reset it.
Just wanted to add that no T-mobile rep on the phone is going to have the slightest idea what you are doing. If you try and explain it, they are going to push you up to a different tech who will be just as confused. Just tell them you want to completely reset your voicemail for your own reasons. They have a system in place just for this and the request is not unheard of. If they insist that the need to know why, just say “for personal reasons, I need to have my voicemail box reset”.
Don’t worry about your old voicemails from grandma. You were never going to do anything with those anyway.. and you wouldn’t be able to without Android voicemail anyhow.
I was going to add this to another thread, but it was locked. I discovered a work around. (persistence was key here). Note that I am not an expert, and your mileage may vary.
- If the T-Mobile account is older than a couple years, the voicemail box (on T-Mobile's end) needs an update. In order to do this, the user needs to request that a T-Mobile rep reset their voicemail account. (completely reset back to new)
- The voicemail box then needs to be authorized for visual voicemail, which is done through the T-Mobile Visual Voicemail app. The user should not accept any of the extra services, as this will designate the Visual Voicemail app as the only usable external app for the T-Mobile voicemail service.
- Then the user must delete the T-Mobile visual voicemail app from their phone. This app blocks the voicemail user settings on android devices and cannot remain installed if the user wants to use stock or built-in voicemail services.
- The user can then restart their device and activate visual voicemail in the stock Google phone app.
I have tested this on a few different android devices, including a Oneplus 9, Oneplus 6t, and a Samsung Galaxy A50. So far, it works 100% of the time. This tells me that it is likely a T-Mobile software issue, but I'm mostly just glad that there seems to be a common solution.
Please like my reply if this solution worked for you. If you are not willing to do all these steps.. then unless you have a Nexus device or an IPhone, get comfy with the T-Mobile visual voicemail app. A lot of people have spent a lot of time looking for a solution.
Hi, this didn't work for me. I called TMobile, they deleted my voicemail and created it again. Once that was done I used the TMO VVM app to activate the voicemail again. Uninstalled TMO VVM, restarted, the phone and proceeded to activate VVM in the native dialer. Result, same as before "Can't activate Visual Voicemail".
This was executed on my OnePlus 8 pro.
When you had the TMO VVM app active, were your voicemails coming through? You may need to dial into your new voicemail and give it the initial set up first..
When you had the TMO VVM app active, were your voicemails coming through? You may need to dial into your new voicemail and give it the initial set up first..
I got to the point where there was a welcome message on TMO-VVM inbox, then I uninstalled the app. My opinion here that TMO is denying activation to non-tmobile IMEIs with only Apple and Pixel Phones are exempted.
I got to the point where there was a welcome message on TMO-VVM inbox, then I uninstalled the app. My opinion here that TMO is denying activation to non-tmobile IMEIs with only Apple and Pixel Phones are exempted.
I am currently using my OnePlus 9 with Android VMM active, so that can’t be 100% true. I’m pretty sure it is a software issue when T-Mobile made their push for their own VMM app.
I would still recommend dialing “1” on your phone, setting up your voicemail with a password, resetting your phone and trying again.. if you haven’t already. This is the only step I took that I forgot to include in my initial post.
Edit to add: If that still doesn’t work.. I guess I should have added a YMMV. I hoped this would be a universal solution, and it worked on my small number of tests, but I am sorry if this doesn’t help you in the end. It is a real bummer that T-Mobile can’t get this together. VVM is a big deal today and their app hasn’t gotten a proper update in years.
I was going to add this to another thread, but it was locked. I discovered a work around. (persistence was key here). Note that I am not an expert, and your mileage may vary.
- If the T-Mobile account is older than a couple years, the voicemail box (on T-Mobile's end) needs an update. In order to do this, the user needs to request that a T-Mobile rep reset their voicemail account. (completely reset back to new)
- The voicemail box then needs to be authorized for visual voicemail, which is done through the T-Mobile Visual Voicemail app. The user should not accept any of the extra services, as this will designate the Visual Voicemail app as the only usable external app for the T-Mobile voicemail service.
- Then the user must delete the T-Mobile visual voicemail app from their phone. This app blocks the voicemail user settings on android devices and cannot remain installed if the user wants to use stock or built-in voicemail services.
- The user can then restart their device and activate visual voicemail in the stock Google phone app.
I have tested this on a few different android devices, including a Oneplus 9, Oneplus 6t, and a Samsung Galaxy A50. So far, it works 100% of the time. This tells me that it is likely a T-Mobile software issue, but I'm mostly just glad that there seems to be a common solution.
Please like my reply if this solution worked for you. If you are not willing to do all these steps.. then unless you have a Nexus device or an IPhone, get comfy with the T-Mobile visual voicemail app. A lot of people have spent a lot of time looking for a solution.
Is there a way you can maybe do a video of it. I've tried this like 5 times with no luck.
Is there a way you can maybe do a video of it. I've tried this like 5 times with no luck.
I have completely different phones now on multiple lines (OnePlus 9 and Galaxy S22+) and Android VVM worked out of the box. I really think the most important part is asking T-Mobile to completely reset your voicemail box. Everything else is redundant.
T-Mobile swears that they did not block Android voicemail, and Google swears that Android voicemail should work with T-Mobile. Using that information, I figured that T-Mobile just hasn’t pushed the updated commands to old voicemail boxes. Having them do a complete factory reset on your voicemail forces the system to update.
This is me making assumptions from a distance, having no experience working for T-Mobile IT. But it worked for me and people I know, so I must be on to something.
Is there a way you can maybe do a video of it. I've tried this like 5 times with no luck.
I have completely different phones now on multiple lines (OnePlus 9 and Galaxy S22+) and Android VVM worked out of the box. I really think the most important part is asking T-Mobile to completely reset your voicemail box. Everything else is redundant.
T-Mobile swears that they did not block Android voicemail, and Google swears that Android voicemail should work with T-Mobile. Using that information, I figured that T-Mobile just hasn’t pushed the updated commands to old voicemail boxes. Having them do a complete factory reset on your voicemail forces the system to update.
This is me making assumptions from a distance, having no experience working for T-Mobile IT. But it worked for me and people I know, so I must be on to something.
I couldn’t get this to work with my Samsung Galaxy even after having a customer service rep reset my voicemail. Just curious are all the phones it worked on for you unlocked? Also what app did you use on your Galaxy S22+ where it worked?
Thanks for sharing anyway, hope one day T-Mobile just stops with all the carrier restrictions.
I couldn’t get this to work with my Samsung Galaxy even after having a customer service rep reset my voicemail. Just curious are all the phones it worked on for you unlocked? Also what app did you use on your Galaxy S22+ where it worked?
Thanks for sharing anyway, hope one day T-Mobile just stops with all the carrier restrictions.
Honestly it's been a while. Ozozznozzy from a year ago was a lot more certain of the solution than I am today. Now all my devices work out of the box.
All my devices are purchased outright (no financing), but for sure the OnePlus 6t I first tried this on was still locked. So a little of both. I'm specifically referring to the built in Android phone app having a built in visual voicemail, and the “T-Mobile Visual Voicemail" app in the play store.
T-Mobile really just needs to resolve this. It's not even a money thing anymore, it's just a legacy bug from a relic subscription service. I think it just doesn't affect everyone so they haven't done much research into it.
I still think that long term customers who have had voicemail boxes for a long time seem to be missing an update that patched this problem. T-Mobile may just need to force a mass update to all voicemail boxes to fix this issue.
I couldn’t get this to work with my Samsung Galaxy even after having a customer service rep reset my voicemail. Just curious are all the phones it worked on for you unlocked? Also what app did you use on your Galaxy S22+ where it worked?
Thanks for sharing anyway, hope one day T-Mobile just stops with all the carrier restrictions.
Honestly it's been a while. Ozozznozzy from a year ago was a lot more certain of the solution than I am today. Now all my devices work out of the box.
All my devices are purchased outright (no financing), but for sure the OnePlus 6t I first tried this on was still locked. So a little of both. I'm specifically referring to the built in Android phone app having a built in visual voicemail, and the “T-Mobile Visual Voicemail" app in the play store.
T-Mobile really just needs to resolve this. It's not even a money thing anymore, it's just a legacy bug from a relic subscription service. I think it just doesn't affect everyone so they haven't done much research into it.
I still think that long term customers who have had voicemail boxes for a long time seem to be missing an update that patched this problem. T-Mobile may just need to force a mass update to all voicemail boxes to fix this issue.
Hearing more now, it sounds like it definitely is on purpose by T-Mobile. At least for Samsung T-Mobile locked phones. My Samsung Galaxy phone was bought from T-Mobile and the default phone app has no built-in visual voicemail. I tried the Google Phone dialer app but the voicemail tab never shows up and trying to activate it fails. I found out Samsung has a Visual Voicemail app separately that comes with their phones but it’s also no where to be found. Also it’s been blocked from both the Google Play Store and Galaxy Store. When I try to open the link to install the app from a browser I get a note that says ‘content blocked by my provider’. I can’t help but think this is all done on purpose by T-Mobile to force users to use their own Visual Voicemail app and not due to some voicemail update I don’t have. Honestly I wouldn’t even mind if their T-Mobile’s visual voicemail app worked great, but it really does not. I’ll try again when my phone is unlocked, but doubt anything will work as long as I have a T-Mobile SIM with a Samsung phone.
Userlevel 7
+15
I have always used the Visual Voicemail in the Google Dialer on my OnePlus 8T+ 5G and 7 Pro for my T-Mobile voicemail. No issues at all.
I have the unlocked version of the Samsung Galaxy Fold 4 and none of these solutions work. I've also contacted T-Mobile and it did not help.
Their app is horrible and doesn't work half the time. Wish they would fix this issue.
This is hard to wrap one’s head around, but every phone is unique—not the same as everyone else’s mobile device—even though we seem to think they’re all the same.[1] They’re not the same. Right there is the disconnect, right there, one of tens of thousands of disconnects! (-; (As a funny, aside comment: we humans are totally unique—just like everyone else. See how funny and convoluted it is? The same thing is happening to our mobile devices as we’re customizing ‘em.)
There seems to be three or four players that I need to be aware of:
1) the human,
2) the V V M app (spaces make it look like “V V” and not “W”),
3) Android,
4) and TMobile.
Each has its own data store. Whether the stores are actually separated or not from each other, don’t worry about it: it matters, but it doesn’t matter. “Treat them as if they ARE all separate,” and you’ll be in a better place and a clearer state of mind and in a better state for understanding what the heck is going on. (-; again!
Here’s the basic, basic, base, base tech suggestion approach I always remember and which I remember to remember:
Reset ALL the players, then restart. Get everyone to ground zero, and go back to and pass GO! once again, for the first time.
Why?
Because after you’ve put all your efforts into getting everyone to ground zero, it’s when everyone can reasonably expect everyone to be starting from ground zero. It’s when all four players ARE at ground zero, all players EXPECT all others players to be at ground zero, all old baggage (ideally) has been trashed and it no longer exists, and everyone plays with everyone else the best, easiest, and friendliest way possible. Nobody knows if others have been reset or not, and it doesn’t matter, if all the old baggage is gone. We’ve cut ‘em off at the pass, circled around back to the start, and started all over again, fresh. Repeating a fresh restart, once again, for the first time. <:shaking my head:>
When you get everyone to ground zero, 100% of their history—thinking of it as baggage—goes away. Baggage is almost always a problem, and nobody knows what everybody else’s baggage is… or isn’t, unless it’s zero. By getting rid of the baggage, all four players start playing with no baggage! Everybody can talk to each other the clearest manner possible. Right there you can see how your efforts to get them all to ground zero starts paying off. If you DON’T put effort into getting everyone to ground zero, well, respectfully, then, you can go look in the mirror to see where the problem is. ;-)
1) Reset how you think about what’s happening—be open to learning. That’s your reset—your “Getting rid of your baggage.”
2) Delete the V V M app. Restart Android. Reinstall the V V M app (yeah, delete, restart, reinstall, because you don’t know if the DELETE best deletes everything, or if better deletions come from the housekeeping from the restart process. Every mobile device is unique, and its rabbit hole is pretty complicated.[1])
3) You already restarted Android, right?
4) Give 611, mobile support, a call, and ask them to reset voicemail as
Hoping this helps, of course.
D. P.
Henderson, NV
Just adding that this issue persists with a S23 Ultra purchased independently (on Amazon). Ozozznozzy’s method is appreciated but did not work for me.
Other info:
Device unlock status is Unknown, on T-Mobile’s website. Perhaps the problem could be related to the device not being clearly within T-Mobile’s network? I pay a T-Mobile bill and my cell service works fine.
Android v13.
unknown only means it was not purchased from TMO and they dont have all of that devices info in their system..has zero to do with how your phone works or doesnt work..thats a separate matter.
Some very interesting developments here: https://www.reddit.com/r/tmobile/comments/10j5kiy/tmobile_visual_voicemail_app_on_play_store/
Apparently the Play store version of T-Mobile’s VVM (at time of writing) is v5, but there exists a v10 rolled out to certain users. Bizarre!
I’ve successfully installed the v10 on my device and it appears to be much more polished.
Despite a small win, this carrier lock-in to VVM is ridiculous and has seriously soured me on T-Mobile as a company. They’re the only ones doing this crap.
Pixel 6a - Native VVM was not working
I will add, i had to have tmobile basically break my VM till my account was not recognized, once that was done and they fixed it my VVM now works
Is there a video or a more specifc step by step guide. I tried and followed the steps but still phone by google doesnt give me option for visual voicemail nor does the samsung default phone. Dont want to use tmobiles seperate visual voicemail app and hate dialing in voicemail to hear messages. Have a samung flip and i’ve looked up forums but doesnt seems to have any solutions.
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