In short: BT Cloud Voice voicemail setup takes a few minutes: in the Business Portal open Users, choose the user, then Features and Voicemail, pick when calls go to voicemail and add an email address for messages. Record a personal greeting and set your PIN by dialling 1571 from your phone. Voicemail needs a Connect or Collaborate licence.
Before you start
Voicemail is part of the Connect and Collaborate feature packs. Users on the Basic pack do not have a mailbox, so if the options below are missing, check the licence first. See BT Cloud Voice feature packs.
You will need your BT Cloud Voice Business Portal login, or an administrator can set voicemail up for you. For what voicemail to email does and how it helps, read BT Cloud Voice voicemail to email; this page is about setting it up.
Step 1: turn on voicemail in the portal
- Sign in to the Business Portal
- From the dashboard, choose Users, then select the user
- Open Features from the menu, then Voicemail
- Choose when calls should go to voicemail: all calls, when you are already on a call, or when you are out or do not answer
- Choose a greeting: the standard system greeting or your own personal greeting
- Save your changes
Each screen has an Assist me button that opens BT's help for that setting. If you are an administrator setting up several people, do the first user, test it, then repeat for the rest.
Step 2: send messages to your email
BT Cloud Voice can email each new message to you as an MP3 audio file, which you can play, save or forward like any attachment. In the same Voicemail screen:
- Add one or more email addresses to receive a copy of each message, for example your own inbox and a shared team mailbox
- Choose 'email voicemails only' if you want messages sent to email and not kept on the phone system. With this on, messages cannot be checked by dialling 1571
- Turn on auto delete if you want the oldest message removed automatically when the mailbox is full
Keep in mind how long messages stay on the system. BT's help says a mailbox holds up to 120 messages, saved messages are deleted after 30 days, and unheard messages after six months. If you need to keep a message longer, keep the emailed copy in line with your records policy.
Step 3: record your greeting and set your PIN
BT says the easiest way to set up your voicemail is to dial 1571 from your BT Cloud Voice phone and follow the spoken prompts. The voicemail menu lets you:
- Record a personal greeting of up to one minute, from the personal options menu, or switch back to the standard greeting
- Choose or change the remote access PIN you use to check messages from another phone
- Listen to, save and delete messages
Remember that BT Cloud Voice voicemail also answers when you are already on a call, not just when you are out, so word your greeting to suit both. A good greeting is short: your name, the business name, and an alternative for urgent calls, such as the main number. Re-record it before holidays rather than relying on callers to guess.
You can only change your PIN from your own phone, and BT blocks simple sequences such as 1234, so pick something that is not your extension number either. If you forget it, ask your administrator or contact us.
Checking your messages
| Where you are | How to check messages |
|---|---|
| At your desk phone | Look for the message waiting indicator, then dial 1571 |
| Away from your phone | Call the number your voicemail is on, press * when voicemail answers, then enter your PIN |
| Anywhere with email | Open the MP3 file in the voicemail email, on a computer or mobile |
| In the portal | Messages can also be retrieved through the Business Portal |
If you use 'email voicemails only', your inbox is the only place messages arrive, so make sure the email address is right and that messages are not being caught by a spam filter.
Voicemail for hunt groups and the auto attendant
Shared numbers can go to voicemail too. An administrator first sets up voicemail on a user (often a shared mailbox user), then points the shared number at it:
- Hunt groups: in the hunt group's call settings, set calls to forward when there is no answer, choose the ring time (BT's minimum is 5 seconds), and enter *55 followed by the extension of the user with the mailbox
- Auto Attendant: in the business hours or after hours menu, set the relevant menu option to *55 followed by that extension
Note the existing settings before you change anything, so they can be put back. See hunt groups and Auto Attendant for the features themselves, and how to divert calls for other ways to handle missed calls.
Why buy BT Cloud Voice from Forever Communications Limited
Forever Communications Limited is part of Forever Group and a BT Business Partner. We supply, set up and support BT Cloud Voice for UK businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations, from a handful of users to multi-site teams.
- A named partner who plans your numbers, call flows, user feature packs and handsets with you
- Number porting managed for you, timed to avoid downtime
- Connectivity checked first, so call quality is right from day one, with BT business broadband and BTnet available if you need it
- Help with the digital switchover, including alarms, lifts, card terminals and other analogue lines
- Training and ongoing support for the apps, Microsoft Teams integration, moves, adds, changes and faults
BT Cloud Voice is a business service. We do not sell consumer or home phone products.
Want a BT Cloud Voice quote for your business?
Tell Forever Communications what you need and we will come back to you by email with options, not a hard sell.
Contact usFrequently asked questions
How do I set up voicemail on BT Cloud Voice?
In the BT Cloud Voice Business Portal choose Users, select the user, then Features and Voicemail. Choose when calls go to voicemail, pick a greeting, add an email address if you want messages emailed, and save. Then dial 1571 to record a greeting and set your PIN.
How do I check BT Cloud Voice voicemail?
Dial 1571 from your BT Cloud Voice phone, or call your number from another phone, press * when voicemail answers and enter your PIN. If voicemail to email is on, you can also open the MP3 file in the email, and messages can be retrieved in the Business Portal.
Why can't I see voicemail in the BT Cloud Voice portal?
Voicemail is part of the Connect and Collaborate feature packs. If you are on the Basic pack, the voicemail options are not available until the licence is changed.
How many voicemail messages can BT Cloud Voice store?
BT's help says a mailbox holds up to 120 messages. Saved messages are deleted after 30 days and unheard messages after six months, so keep emailed copies of anything you need for longer.
Can a hunt group have voicemail on BT Cloud Voice?
Yes. An administrator sets the hunt group to forward unanswered calls to a user's mailbox by entering *55 followed by that user's extension in the hunt group's call settings.