How to Change Voicemail on Optus Network (and how it works)

You can activate your Optus voicemail using your My Optus app, My Account, or over the phone.

We believe the fastest way to get your Optus voicemail set up is by doing it over the phone because you’ll have to access your mailbox there anyway, but we’ll cover all three options so you can decide what works best for you.

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First, activate your Optus voicemail on your phone

Before setting up your voicemail, you’ll have to activate it. There are 3 ways to do so with Optus: 

  • My Optus app 
    Open your My Optus app log in. Tap the Service tab at the bottom of the screen > click Settings > tap Voicemail and call diversions > select On.
  • My Account (for mobile phones excluding prepaid accounts)
    Log in to your Optus My Account online. Select your service > click Settings > choose Call diversions > choose Your voicemail is on > click Save.
  • My Account (for prepaid accounts)
    Log in to your Optus My Account online. Select View details > Settings > Divert incoming calls > choose Your Voicemail is On. Agree to the terms and select Save.
  • Phone call 
    Dial 1509 and tap send to call. When prompted, choose Voicemail > choose Activate.

After activating your voicemail, you’ll receive an SMS with your default PIN to access your voicemail. Use that default PIN to set up your voicemail box via call – here’s how:

  • Dial 321 on your mobile and hit send to place the call. Record your personalised greeting, which your callers will hear when they are diverted to voicemail > change your default PIN to one of your own, which can be up to 9 digits > complete the voicemail tutorial. 

Now that your voicemail is set up, you can dial 321 to access it whenever you need to.

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How to change voicemail options on Optus

You can make a number of changes to your Optus voicemail settings to suit your needs. We’ll cover the most useful options, but there will be many more which you can explore after getting the hang of your voicemail system.

  • Change user greeting
    If you’d like to record a new voicemail greeting, dial 321 on your mobile phone and hit send to place the call. When prompted, press 3 to change your voicemail greeting. If you’d like to access and explore the many other options Optus makes available, press 8 instead.
  • Change how you get notified about new voicemails 
    The recommended way to receive your voicemail notifications is through SMS Me, which notifies you of new voicemails via text messages at no cost. You can change this in your voicemail options by pressing 8 after calling 321

However, there are other options for receiving notifications:

  • Missed call service 
    With this option enabled, you’ll receive an audio recording of the voicemail via MMS so you can listen to it right away. Turn it on/off by sending the word ON or OFF via SMS to 159. You can also do this by calling 159 and following the prompts, or going into your Settings menu in My Account online. This is also a free service within Australia.
  • Optus Voice to Text
    With this option enabled, your actual voicemail will be converted to a text message and sent to you via SMS. Turn it on/off by sending the word ON or OFF via SMS to 7746. You can also turn it on/off in the Settings menu in My Account online. This service comes at an additional monthly charge.
  • Optus Voice to MMS
    With this option enabled, your voice mail will be sent to you as an audio file via MMS. To turn this option on/off, log in to My Account online, select the relevant service, and go to Settings > Call Diversions > Voicemail Settings > select Send voicemails as messages > Choose Optus Voice to MMS > click Save. This service comes at an additional monthly charge.

Why use voicemail in this day and age?

With Optus voicemail, you’ll be able to keep track of your calls when you’re unable to answer them. This message bank comes with some unique features that make your SIM plan work even better. Here’s a quick look at some of them:

  • Get voicemails all the time
    While some voicemail systems only allow callers to record a message when you’re in a service area, Optus voicemail feature will allow callers to leave a message even if you’re out of coverage or your phone is turned off.
  • Call return/reminder
    Optus allows you to return a call directly from the voicemail, and you can also set a reminder to call back whenever you’re free.
  • Personalised greeting
    Set up a customised greeting for your callers. And if you’re using Optus voicemail for your business line, you can record different greetings for business hours and when you’re closed.
  • Voicemail playback options
    You can listen to your voicemail by dialing 321 from your mobile handset. But there are other unique ways to do this as well: Get your voicemail sent to you as an MMS message, or send an SMS command to have Optus call you and playback your message.