Answering machine

An answering machine (abbreviation AB ) is an electrical or electronic audio recorder that accepts phone calls and after playing a message to the caller, for example, with the text " Please speak after the tone ... " (optional) to record a voice message from the caller. This happens due to inaccessible alternative to the telephone conversation.

With an active device gives the following basic options ( circuits ):

• Play the absence note with message recording
• Play the absence notice without recording a message

By pressing a button, the answering machine can also be disabled.

• 2.1 Voice Mailbox in the mobile and the fixed network
• 2.2 Voice -Mailbox for system telephones

Answering terminal

The fixed network, an answering machine is usually configured as subscriber -installed on local telephone line terminal.

In these devices, the called party can answer the call even while the caller ( A-subscriber ) aufspricht a text. The time window to activate the message after the call signaling can be most flexibly chosen.

The recording can be analog or digital.

In the original form - usually executed as a separate device - were used normal compact cassettes (audio cassettes) or special mini - or micro- cassettes. Better device had two tape drives, one for the outgoing message, the other for the message the caller. If one used for all texts, were by rewinding the tape longer waiting times needed to record the message. Devices of this type are no longer produced since 21 century. For digital devices, they are voice data stored in a device's internal RAM. In earlier versions for obtaining a storage battery was integrated during a power failure. In present-day devices, the non-volatile flash memory technology is used, a battery is not necessary. Also, analog- digital mixed forms were on the market.

While previous devices were carried out in the 1990s, mostly as a separate device, answering machines today are often also in landline phones or its base stations or telephone systems integrated.

Special Functions

• Remote access: Most devices allow to query aufgesprochene messages from another phone, which you can be identified by a pre-set PIN and access their messages via the telephone network.
• Some devices are able to automate a message depose, to indicate the presence of new messages; this can be done through a call to a preset number, then where an announcement is heard, or by issuing a text message as a text message or pager.
• In addition, some manufacturers offer ( for example, U.S. Robotics ) equipment, which, in addition to voice messages receive faxes.

In mobile communications, there are for smartphones software implementations of subscriber-side answering machines. These have the disadvantage that they only work if the device is switched on.

Voice mailbox

If the answering machine not a standalone device but a system that can handle multiple phone lines at the same time, it is called in the virtual answering of voice mailbox, mailbox only briefly, or language memory in mobile mailboxes by voicemail.

The voice messages are not accessible via the device itself, but with the phone, the mailbox can be called via an access number.

Voice mailbox in the mobile and the fixed network

In the mobile operators and increasingly also for VoIP connections and fixed lines (for example, network mailbox ) answering machine is on the network side provided centrally by the telephone company.

The voice mailbox is physically located on Audiotex servers in the network, the telephone company and can also be accessed by telephone, which may be a charge depending on the provider. The voicemail feature is heavily promoted by many mobile operators, since by their use additional call minutes are generated. The announcements can usually choose between the specifications of the phone company or even individual aufgesprochen (deposited ).

Your voicemail can be divided into many networks by entering the combination # off # 002 #. The PIN setting for the mailbox is, however, usually regulated differently by the network providers.

Such network -implemented solutions have the advantage over the answering machine as subscriber -installed terminal has the disadvantage that a call can not be accepted until later, after it took over the mailbox. Furthermore, the period of time from the start of the call signaling, after which the line-side mailbox to accept the call, be chosen with some restrictions - as in the conventional GSM standard from about 0 to 30 seconds in five- second increments, there exist still a larger restrictions.

Many voice boxes can receive and store faxes. When integrated into the voice box solution in addition to the usual mobile boxes SMS notification of new messages advanced functions like e- mail notification and forwarding of recorded voice messages and faxes ( Fax2mail ), also referred to as Unified Messaging.

Voice mailbox system telephones

At system phone systems in business proprietary voicemail services for each user is provided with the system side are available.

Voicemail is often integrated into unified messaging solutions, so stand in a software on the PC workstation besides eg e -mail and fax and voice messages.

Voice mailboxes are received, processed and stored either by the telephone system directly from a modular extension or from a server connected via VoIP.

History

The first known automatic answering machine developed in 1938, the inventor Willy Müller. Four years later he was admitted by the imperial post office under the name Central Ipsophon.

In 1953, answering service for private households in Germany were first available. The equipment manufactured by Willy Müller & Co in Munich were first called Voice Storage devices and considered as simplified versions of used equipment for announcement services of the former German Federal Post:

• The 1957 published Alibiphon could in the basic equipment only play an announcement of a maximum of 40 seconds in duration (today would be called the announcement only mode). The user could even record the announcement on a Magnettonplatte and change at any time. The device was approximately 30 x 19 x 11 cm in size and next to the power supply and drive contained two electron tubes, two relays, a switch for the ( recording, playback, telephone) mode and a display for talk time. By means of an extra to be connected tape recorder could record the caller's message also. The Alibiphon 1961 was approved in Germany.
• The teleporter was also able to record a message from the caller of 30 seconds maximum duration. Initially, the recorded announcement by the user and then the fixed text included " Please speak now " played. The end of the recording was " off record " with acknowledged; could then be immediately recorded more incoming calls. Eavesdropping on the news itself was only possible on the device. The teleporter could be used as a voice recorder.
• In 1953, with the Notaphon already a device available that offered the now common function ( answering machine with remote access ). Since it did not exist at the time this term, the first not approved in Germany equipment in the trade press has been called " phone - robot ". Remote access was protected from any another phone possible and with a "secret holding device " ( Today's PIN). The user had to stop with six switches one of 63 possible numbers on the unit. Remote access was started by saying a clear " A" for a particular word of the announcement. Then the Notaphon told the caller of digits; at a point belonging to the set number you had each speak a distinct " A". After successful verification of the PIN received messages have been played. In the end it was asked whether all messages are to be deleted, you could press " A".
• There were several models of the device Alibicord of Alois Zettler, which could record additional incoming messages with a second sound carrier.
• As the father of the answering machine of the Japanese Kazuo Hashimoto, who developed in 1958 the Ansa Fone, the first commercially viable AB, which was sold directly to companies and households applies beyond. Such devices cost in the Federal Republic of Germany in 1980 to around 1300-3000 DM Alternatively, the German Federal Post Office offered a telephone order service, which also counter took calls for 3.00 DM per day.

From the late 1980s, the answering machine in Germany was from luxury to everyday commodity. As approved by the federal postal models were very expensive and had functional limitations, many non -legal devices were on the market, the operation was illegal at that time.

Icon

A wrong- Q can be set before the call number when an answering machine is connected. The corresponding Unicode code point is U 2315 ( ⌕ ). On phone devices is a sign of two adjacent, top with a line connected circles usual ( symbolic representation of two reels of tape ).

Others, GEMA

The recording of GEMA requiring music in telephone systems, for example on answering machines ( as background music audio prompts ) or wait on hold is notified. That's many small businesses unknown. To avoid these fees, there is royalty-free music, that music, its licensors are not represented by GEMA and explicitly document the sale.