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What The Heck Is Unified Messaging Anyways?

By Brandi Cummings  -  November 8, 2006

Unified messaging is a telecommunications system with advanced features that allows for a single destination for voicemail, email and faxes. It functions as a virtual secretary, PBX system and fax machine. With one unified messaging phone number your clients/customers can send you a voicemail message, send you a fax, or reach you at any number of locations and have it all come to your email, online web panel, or voicemail box.

If you are not available to take calls, the virtual secretary feature will take a message and deliver it to you based on parameters that you set up. With most unified messaging systems your voicemail messages will be emailed as a sound file to your existing email account, while some will give you a new web-based email account to use. Other retrieval options may include an online web control panel or calling into your phone number to listen to your messages. Some providers will also include notification of messages to your pager or cell phone.

The same phone number used for incoming calls can also be used for your faxes. Faxes can be sent to your email as an attached image file or be viewed in an online web control panel. Faxes can usually also be sent to a land fax line. Some unified messaging services will also offer a dedicated fax number if you would like a different number for phone and fax. Even with a dedicated fax number, the faxes are still routed to the same location as the voicemails.

Most providers offer a combination of voicemail and fax in their basic service, as well as a variety of optional features to enhance their systems. Optional features might include:

  • Follow me call forwarding so you can forward your incoming calls to any phone number you wish.
  • Fax sending capabilities so that you don’t need a separate fax service.
  • Message broadcasting to a list of phone numbers or email addresses.

Unified messaging is particularly beneficial to home based businesses as well as small businesses whose employees don’t necessarily work in the same location or work in the field.  Unified messaging allows them to get their voicemail and faxes on the go at any email address they wish. Most unified messaging systems cost between $10 and $30 a month so it is also within the small or home based business budget.

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