Fusion Mobile App

[tikvah]

Take a look under the voicemail delivery options.

I just told you everything there. If you think I'm missing something, be more specific.

Cyndi

[dane]

I think Kelsey means that voicemail notifications including SMS are in the voicemail section of mber tools, not the line settings section. You can find it there and turn this on.

[tikvah]

I think Kelsey means that voicemail notifications including SMS are in the voicemail section of mber tools, not the line settings section. You can find it there and turn this on.

Okay, then he should have said so. When I tried going to other setting options before, it took me to my phone number choices in a menu (even though I only have one) and then back to line settings.

I have this:
https://members.sonic.net/voice/settings/delivery/?u=[my username that isn't tikvah]

"Forward new messages to an E-Mail address or send a notification to a mobile phone or twitter account when someone leaves you a message. Don't forget to follow fusion_vm or we won't be able to send you direct messages."

I don't know what that means. Why do I have to "follow" you? How is that even possible for email or text message?

There is no way to send to my cell phone. It only allows emails to my phone, which I do not want. T-Mobile's internal email service stinks and I can't get it to work properly. And I don't remember my username because it doesn't work so I don't use it.

The only other options are to send an actual email, which I don't want, or to send a tweet (why would anyone want their messages public?).

How do I get Fusion to message my cell phone when I have a voicemail? Will this include the actual voicemail?

Cyndi

[dane]

Cyndi,

Select SMS, them select your carrier and input your mobile telephone number, without any dashes. For example, 7075551212.

If you prefer to use Twitter direct messages, these are private direct messages.

[tikvah]

Okay I did that and did a test call. It does give me a text message with the name of the caller and their phone number. It does not give the day and time of the call. That is implied by the date and time of the message (it was within a few seconds) but that's not a given because what if my phone is not accepting calls or there is a delay?

What it does not include is the actual message, either a text version or an audio file. Instead it says: "Call 707-583-7700 or check your Voicemail to playback." Obviously I can't "check my voicemail" without an app or being home. So that's useless. I don't want to call in because then I have to have cell access and remember my password and listen to all the other dozens of voicemails on the system (that I periodically purge because I never listen to my voicemail like that, it's a pain in the butt because I have to go through all of them in order and then I can't see who the caller is, I have to remember what the voice said; I want separate voicemails).

So. Text messaging is better than nothing but it is not a substitute for your app. I renew my request that you do not get rid of your app and that you continue to support it. Telling me "something better is coming" that will almost certainly never come for years, if ever, is insulting.

[dane]

I'd suggest simply using the text message to know you have a new voicemail, then look in your email's "Voicemail" folder via the email client on your smartphone to more easily manage playback.

[tikvah]

I'd suggest simply using the text message to know you have a new voicemail, then look in your email's "Voicemail" folder via the email client on your smartphone to more easily manage playback.

I'm rather surprised by your suggestion. Because I figured you would be familiar with the wide range of ways your customers use Sonic and not just assume that everyone does the same thing you do.

There is no such thing as a "my email's Voicemail folder." I understand that for people who choose to read their email in a browser using the Sonic.net tools, that Voicemail emails go into their own folder. However, you could not pay me to use that system except out of sheer desperation when I travel without my laptop or for checking the account of a nonprofit I help run (about twice a year, if I remember to do it, but I hate using it, so it's usually once a year). There is no generic "Voicemail folder." It is part of your built-in browser mail.

I also already made it very clear that I don't read email on my phone. I read email at home. If I'm at home, I will hear the phone ring. But if I am screening calls or can't get to the phone or if I'm out when the call comes then come home, I will see the message in my email and listen to it. I get a couple thousand emails a day. Until my phone can sort like Mail and sync with it, I'm not doing email on my phone, aside from emailing myself event tickets and shopping lists.

Yes, I could put my icloud address into the voicemail settings so that only Fusion emails, not all my emails, come to my phone. I may have no choice, but that's not how I want to do it because I can't sort them, I can't file them, I can't hide them. And I won't know who they're from until I open each and every bloody one (because the From line is Sonic and the Subject line starts with something generic and very long).

So when I'm out and need to hear the message that came in, my only *reasonable* option is to use your app. Trust me, from my own experience plus this conversation, I have exhausted all other options. This is it. Take away the app and I'm screwed. No, I'm not going to threaten to walk out on you; I still prefer Sonic to every other service I can get here. I'll just be (not so) quietly disappointed in you.

Not everyone uses the features you think they should use. Not everyone wants to use them. Some people try those features and hate them. It's not a matter of pointing out that they exist. They simply are not useful to everyone. This means that, as an internet and phone service provider, that it is in the best interest of your customers to have a variety of tools, so every customer can make the most of your service. And if that is in a way you personally would never do, that's okay.

If you said "we can't continue to support the app cause it's really expensive, sorry" I would live with that. But no, what you're actually saying is "you aren't using the tools we think you should use" and not listening when people like me say those other tools won't do what we want and need. And promising a better app that I'll never actually get, is beyond awful.

So I will ask again: Please do not discontinue support for this simple flawed but useful little app.

Thank you,
Cyndi

[dane]

I'm not suggesting using Webmail - that would be very clunky from a mobile device, and is really only a solution for when you're borrowing someone else's computer. Rather, you can add your Sonic account as an additional email box on your phone - and never check it at all, except when you want to access the /Voicemail folder. One additional idea your comment raised for me is that you can also forward your voicemail to an email box elsewhere if you prefer that. There are lots of ways to get voicemail from a mobile device today which are remaining in service.

The iOS app is buggy and doesn't support current iOS versions, and due to very low uptake and the fact that all functions it offers are accessible using other methods, we have decided to discontinue it. In future, we anticipate launching a new app on our new platform, once all customers are migrated to that platform.

[virtualmike]

Until my phone can sort like Mail and sync with it, I'm not doing email on my phone, ...

It can.

[Guest]

I agree you should not discontinue this app until another app option is available. Email and text messaging are not good alternatives. I love this app. I don't always listen to the messages particularly if I already know what the call is about but occassionally I do and it is the easiest way to do so.

I have not upgraded to IOS 8 yet and I would defer upgrading soley to maintain access to this app given its utility to me despite the features of iOS 8 that also would be nice to have.

I can understand that if you are developing a different app you do not want to invest in the work to make this one compatible but why retire it if it is working for peope?