No visual voice mail on unlocked?

[MTHall720]

I was told today that if I buy any unlocked new phone from any vendor, including Best Buy I would never be able to have visual voice mail again. I was told the only vm I would have ever would be a dial up number to retrieve vm. Is this total BS, which I hope it is, or is it true??
Thanks much for any insights.

 

[SpookDroid]

Not sure if never, but technically it is correct. Visual Voicemail is carrier-dependent and unless the carrier provides a separate app for it, you wouldn't be able to get it unless bundled with their OS modifications on a carrier-branded phone.

You should have access to 'normal' voicemail, however, just not the visual aspect of it.

 

[MTHall720]

Thank you. Does that mean I would just have to call a number to retrieve voice mail?

 

[SpookDroid]

Yup. The phone would do it for you, but yeah, it basically calls your voicemail number and you'd handle things from there, on a call. The usual 'you have 5 new messages. press whatever to play or press whatever to delete message' voice prompts.

 

[MTHall720]

I really appreciate this. At my local AT&T store, and even online, they don't have either of the two phones I am most interested in, which are Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra or the LG V20.

 

[SpookDroid]

It's a bummer, but yeah, comes with the territory when it comes to unlocked phone. Plus side, you'll get OTA updates (usually) faster than carrier-branded ones, and you won't be slowed down/tracked by carrier bloatware

 

[Centerman66]

I have a US Unlocked S8+ purchased from Samsung that is running AT&T visual voicemail.

 

[SpookDroid]

If that's the case then there IS an ATT app for it. I know Verizon has it as a separate app, just wasn't sure about ATT.

 

[Rukbat]

Try this AT&T app. No guarantees, but it may work.

 

[usguyver]

I use AT&T Visual Voicemail app on my u11 and it works just fine

 

[Laura Knotek]

I found the apk for AT&T Visual Voicemail and sideloaded it on my LG V20. It works fine for me.

 

[Centerman66]

I found the apk for AT&T Visual Voicemail and sideloaded it on my LG V20. It works fine for me.

That is what I did too.

 

[rothe]

AT&T Visual Voicemail running on my unlocked HTC 10, US market phone. AT&T prepaid is my carrier.

 

[jgreg02]

I was told today that if I buy any unlocked new phone from any vendor, including Best Buy I would never be able to have visual voice mail again. I was told the only vm I would have ever would be a dial up number to retrieve vm. Is this total BS, which I hope it is, or is it true??
Thanks much for any insights.

I have visual vm on my carrier unlocked BlackBerry PRIV that is AT&T branded. Also enhanced LTE. On AT&T for decades.