Message retrieval
Note:
All references to the VOICE MAIL key refer to the 24- and 48-Key Feature Phones and the ESI Cordless Handsets; on a 12-Key Feature Phone, you must have assigned one of the programmable feature keys to be a Voice Mail key.
Message(s) waiting display
If you have at least one new message, the VOICE MAIL LED will blink and your 24-Key or 48-Key Feature Phone’s display will show the number of new and old messages in your mailbox. (A 12-Key Feature Phone will display only the date and time.)

On an ESI Cordless Handset, an “envelope” icon on the display also appears when you have at least one new message.
Note:
Message status (shown in the example above as NEW 3 OLD 1) appears on a 24-Key or 48-Key Feature Phone only when new messages exist.
Retrieving voice mail messages
from your ESI Feature Phone
- Press VOICE MAIL.
- Enter your password if required (you may change the requirement for a password in user programming menu 5).
- The ESI phone system will start playback of messages with the oldest new message and continue until all messages
are played. The display will show the origination of the message, the countdown duration of the message, whether new or
old, and the time/date of when the message was left. (The 48-Key Feature Phone also shows running playback time in
reverse.)

Cordless Handset
or 24-Key Feature Phone
48-Key Feature Phone
(also shows running
playback time in reverse) - At the end of each message, the ESI phone system prompts you for instructions (see the chart, “Keys’ functions during voice mail message retrieval,” below). Once you’ve learned these prompts, you can proceed more rapidly by pressing one of the appropriate keys at any time during a message or during a prompt.
- To exit playback of messages, simply hang up your phone.
Note:
If you hang up during playback of a message, the system saves that message as new and all others not deleted.
New message skip
When listening to new messages, press 9 twice (within two seconds) to save a message as new. This message will be played again as a new message the next time you access your voice mail.
Note:
When you press 9 once to save the message as old, there is a short delay before the system tells you it has saved the message. To bypass this delay after pressing 9, just press # to hear the next message.
Keys’ functions during voice mail message retrieval from an ESI Feature Phone
| Key | Function | Description |
| 1 | Pause | Pauses for one minute or until 1 is pressed again. |
| 2 | Time and date/number toggle | Toggles the bottom line of the display between the message’s time/date and the caller’s
number. (Applicable to 12-Key Feature Phone only. Not available from an analog phone or off-premises location.) |
| 3 | Reply | Replies to the originator of a message (possible only if message came from another user in the system). Record your reply at the tone and then press 1 to stop, after which the system returns you to your mailbox and the message to which you were replying. |
| 4 | Back up (rewind) |
|
| 5 | Fast forward | Advances playback 4 seconds for each key-press. (Not available from an analog phone or off-premises location.) |
| 6 | Move | Moves a copy of the message to other users’ mailboxes. You may move the copy with or without an introduction. After the move, the system returns you to your mailbox and the original message. |
| 7 | Delete | Deletes the message from the mailbox (see “Message Recycle Bin”). |
| 8 | Fast-forward | Fast-forward to end of message. |
| 9 | Save | Saves the message (it will play as an old message the next time you retrieve messages). Note: When you press 9 once to save the message as old, there is a short delay before the system tells you it has saved the message. To bypass this delay after pressing 9, just press # to hear the next message. |
| 9 9 | Save as new | Skips over a new message and leaves it as a new message (i.e., it will be played as a new message the next time you pick up messages). You must press the 9 key twice within two seconds. |
| REDIAL | Auto-callback | Exits your mailbox without erasing the message, and then automatically dials the number. (A local call may not be dialed correctly, depending on the limitations of the local dialing plan. You may need to dial some of these calls manually.) (Not available from an analog phone or off-premises location.) |
| ESI-DEX | Store | If Caller ID is present, saves to your Personal Dex for later use. (Not available from an ESI Cordless Handset, 12-Key Feature Phone, analog phone, or off-premises location.) |
| # | Leave a message | Lets you record a message in one or more mailboxes. At the prompt, enter the desired mailbox number. Press # and then enter up to 65 mailbox numbers, using the phone’s dialpad and programmable feature keys. Mailboxes in a department count toward the maximum of 65. |
| ∗ | Check other box | Checks messages in another mailbox (may require a password, depending on the mailbox’s setting; see “Password”). |
Retrieving voice mail messages
using another user’s ESI Feature Phone
- Press VOICE MAIL and then ∗.
- Dial your extension number.
- Follow the procedures described in “Retrieving voice mail messages from your ESI Feature Phone.”
Virtual Mailbox Key
(Not available on ESI Cordless Handset or 12-Key Feature Phone.)
If you frequently pick up your messages from another user’s ESI Feature Phone or have others help pick up your messages, you may want to program a programmable feature key on that phone as a Virtual Mailbox Key for your mailbox. When you have new messages, the key will blink, press it to automatically connect to your mailbox. This feature doesn’t affect your ability to pick up messages from your own phone.
Note:
Assign to the programmable key the following — VOICE MAIL ∗ and then either your extension number or your voice mailbox number (see “Programmable feature keys”).
Retrieving messages
from an off-premises location
You can pick up messages when away from the office or from an analog station. Since the display isn’t available to you, message handling will operate slightly differently.
To retrieve your message from a remote location:
- If the auto attendant’s main greeting answers your call, press ∗ and enter your mailbox number. If the operator or another user answers your call, have the person transfer you (by pressing VOICE MAIL ∗ and then pressing your station key [or entering your mailbox number] and then hanging up).
- If required, enter your password.
- The ESI phone system will announce the number of new and old messages, and will start playback of messages starting with the oldest new message and continue until all messages and recordings have played or you press ∗ to disconnect.
For more information, click here.
Functions available during
off-premises voice mail message retrieval
| Key | Function | Description |
| 2 | Hear time/date | Pauses the message, plays the time/date when the message was left and resumes. |
| 3 | Reply | Replies to the originator of a message (possible only if message came from another user in the system). Record your reply at the tone and then press 1 to stop, after which the system returns you to your mailbox and the message to which you were replying. |
| 4 | Back up (rewind) |
|
| 5 | Access user programming | Access certain user-programmable features.
Note: Fast forward is not available from a remote location. |
| 7 | Delete | Deletes the message from the mailbox (see “Message Recycle Bin”). |
| 8 | Main greeting | Goes to the main greeting. |
| 9 | Save | Saves the message (it will play as an old message the next time you retrieve messages). Note: When you press 9 once to save the message as old, there is a short delay before the system tells you it has saved the message. To bypass this delay after pressing 9, just press # to hear the next message. |
| 9 9 | Save as new | Skips over a new message and leaves it as a new message (i.e., it will be played as a new message the next time you pick up messages). You must press the 9 key twice within two seconds. |
| 0 | Operator | Transfers you to the operator. |
| # | Leave a message | Lets you record a message in one or more mailboxes. At the prompt, enter the desired mailbox number. Press # and then enter up to 65 mailbox numbers, using the phone’s dialpad. Mailboxes in a department count toward the maximum of 65. |
| ∗ | Disconnect | Disconnects you from the system. Always press ∗ before hanging up (if you press it during message playback, the system will save the playing message and any other currently unsaved messages in your mailbox). |
