Response from: spg (Check me out!)

there was a time when voice mail was for when a phone could not be answered. these days more often than not it is used as a way to screen calls or reject calls that someone may not want to answer for one reason or another. the proliferation of caller ID tends to make this even more the case as people first screen the caller ID and than decide to answer or let voice mail answer. if you ask me this is all a bit anti-social. the phone number should probably never been given out in the first place if the call is not going to be answered.

Response from: Dameon Welch-Abernathy (Check me out!)

I rarely give out my phone number. If I don't want--or expect you to call me--I won't give you the number in the first place. That being said, I would prefer people call me when I am able to talk versus receiving a random call. I do use voicemail at home to screen the various "unknown" or "telemarketer" looking numbers unless I happen to be expecting a call, e.g. from the child's pediatrician. 99 times out of a hundred, unexpected "unknown" calls don't leave a message.

Response from: Brian Kirk (Check me out!)

with the iPhone's visual voicemail feature checking my voicemail isn't as much of a pain as it used to be for me. regardless of how easy it easy to access your vmail what pains me is the lack of content most people leave in vmail. i've only met a handful of people who leave really good messages. folks should take a lesson in vmail etiquette. an example of a good vmail message: leave me your name if we aren't good friends, let me know if what you are about to tell me requires as response or if your message is just information for me to do with it what i please, & then tell me what's you need to tell me. & if you do leave me a number to call you back on slow down when you give me your number so i can write it down without having to listen to the message 3 times to get your number right.