[SGVLUG] Youmail

[Robert Cole]

Claude Felizardo wrote:
> On 5/18/07, Robert Cole <robert.cole at support4linux.com> wrote:
>> John Jefferson Lowry IV wrote:
>> > I actually have been using youmail for a couple months and have really
>> > found it handy. If I am going to out of touch, but am expecting a call
>> > from someone I will record a message for them letting them know. Very
>> > handy. Is it using Asterisk by any chance.
>
> [snip]
>> Its actually using HP Opencall but Asterisk has been talked about as a
>> possibility for the future.
>>
>> Robert
>
> So what's HP Opencall?  Asterisk or equiv would have been cool.
>
> I looked at the youmail.com website but it doesn't explain even at a
> high level how it works.  Only what it does.  I don't like signing up
> for something w/o getting more info first.  How does someone calling
> my cell phone number get a personalized greeting?  Do I have to
> configure my phone and/or cell plan to forward to another number?
> I'll be charged air time for the redirect right?  What area code so I
> can make sure it isn't going to some offshore or 900 or 976 premium
> rate telephone number.
>
> Can I use this with my landline or only cell phones?
>
> I'm also not keen on giving out my cell number as I've almost been
> stung by a web site that offered free ringtones only to discover they
> were trying to get me to sign up for a monthly service charge that my
> cell phone provider was all too willingly to accommodate.  All it took
> was for me to acknowledge the "service message" sent to my phone.
> Fortunately I was able to have the charges removed from my bill.
>
> okay, found the small print in the terms of use.  I see the section on
> opting-out and turning off notification, but what about disabling the
> custom greeting.  how do I revert to using my cell phone carrier's
> voice mail?
>
> Now if this thing is anything like Wildfire I may give it a try.  Is
> that service even available still?  It was a voice recognition system
> that let you manage calls by simply talking to it.  No fumbling for
> the keypad which made it great for checking voice mail w/o having to
> look at the phone.  A guy I used to work with several years ago swore
> by it because it allowed him to check voice mail while riding his
> motorcycle.  It even had the ability to notify you of incoming calls
> WHILE you were interacting with it.  You could then  choose to take
> the call immediately or divert to voicemail.  Now some cell phones
> have various levels of voice recognition which is great for outgoing
> calls but something that handled both, that would be cool.
>
> looks like Wildfire is still available from a company called
> http://www.virtuosity.com/wildfire_services.html
>
> claude
>
>
>
Excellent feedback Claude! :) I've passed it along to be addressed. To 
answer your questions:

1) It works only with cell phones
2) Everyone's cell phone is programmed with a number to forward the call 
to if you don't answer. We give instructions on how to re-program your 
phone to forward to our system instead of your cell carrier. We also 
give instructions for reverting back.
3) The number you end up programming your phone to forward to is 
714-204-3114 so its not an expensive number. :)
4) The custom greeting doesn't have to be, you can just record your own 
that defaults to all callers just like you have now.
5) It only works will cell numbers right now. It might work with a land 
line but I haven't tested it yet and you would have to program your land 
line to forward after x rings but I don't think its supported yet. I was 
thinking about trying that sometime myself.
6) It doesn't let you manage your voicemail by voice.

Hope this clears things up for you. one thing about the service is its 
something you can quickly and easily try and switch back anytime if you 
wish. You are in control of it so there no waiting for customer service 
or anything like that. You could take 2 minutes to sign up and change 
your phone and switch back even faster without even logging into youmail 
to do it since you would just be changing the programming on your cell 
to forward back to the cell company. Once you're signed up you can 
switch at will with just your cell phone.

Robert