# www.callwave.com
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/www-callwave-com/10369
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [October 30, 1999, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/www-callwave-com/10369 "1999-10-30T21:16:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)
#### Post date: [October 30, 1999, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/www-callwave-com/10369/1 "1999-10-30T21:16:00Z")
## I’m currently using [http://www.callwave.com](http://www.callwave.com) for my internet answering machine service. It uses my Bell Atlantic “busy call forwarding” feature, takes a message and plays it for me if someone is trying to call me when I’m online. Does anyone else know of a service that will do this? I like Callwave OK, but you don’t get to record your own greeting and the caller only has 20seconds to leave their message- people get cut off all the time. Any ideas out there?
A friend is someone who likes you even though you’re as ugly as a hat full of assholes.
[Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html)
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### Author:  [@CanadianSue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanadianSue)
#### Post date: [October 30, 1999, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/www-callwave-com/10369/2 "1999-10-30T22:59:00Z")
Here our phone company offers an answering service for you… I dial in and get my messages when im not home or actually on the phone. I had another line installed in the house for my internet use… it saved alot of grief from friends and family who got upset when they couldnt get me when i was online.
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We are, each of us angels with only one wing;
and we can only fly by
embracing one another
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### Author:  [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)
#### Post date: [October 30, 1999, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/www-callwave-com/10369/3 "1999-10-30T23:30:00Z")
CanadianSue: I think that misses the point. This service (if I’m reading it correctly) will deliver and play the message for you on your computer… so you don’t have to wait til you’re offline and use the phone to check messages.
There are several online voicemail services ([pagoo.com](http://pagoo.com), excite) but they have a specific number they assign you, (an 800 number and you have an extension) it doesn’t work from your home phone number.
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–
O p a l C a t
[www.opalcat.com](http://www.opalcat.com)
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### Author:  [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)
#### Post date: [October 31, 1999, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/www-callwave-com/10369/4 "1999-10-31T01:19:00Z")
I just signed up… We’ll see if it works!
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Yer pal,
Satan
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### Author:  [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)
#### Post date: [October 31, 1999, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/www-callwave-com/10369/5 "1999-10-31T13:27:00Z")
## Satan, Which one did you download? I like Callwave- it works fine. Does what it’s supposed to do. Lets me know someone is calling, etc. I’ll check out the other service offered. I just wish Callwave had a personalized greeting and would record for just a little longer. People are used to leaving me Bell Atlantic voice mail (which records forever) and now they’re getting cut off.
A friend is someone who likes you even though you’re as ugly as a hat full of assholes.
[Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html)
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### Author:  [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)
#### Post date: [October 31, 1999, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/www-callwave-com/10369/6 "1999-10-31T17:40:00Z")
Opal-
Thanks SO much for the tip on [http://www.pagoo.com](http://www.pagoo.com)
It looks like it’s EXACTLY what I’m looking for. It’s around $4 a month, but well worth it. You can personalize your greeting, and if you’re on the regular phone talking, it will also take a message for you (callwave gives you a busy signal).
I can’t try it until tomorrow when I can have Bell Atlantic change my busy signal forwarding number, but I think I’m a happy camper. Thanks!!
Zette
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A friend is someone who likes you even though you’re as ugly as a hat full of assholes.
[Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html)
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### Author:  [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)
#### Post date: [November 1, 1999, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/www-callwave-com/10369/7 "1999-11-01T06:42:00Z")
I downloaded Callwave, and THEN found out that it disables the voice mail that I already pay $4 a month for. Thanks, but no thanks.
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### Author:  [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)
#### Post date: [October 31, 1999, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/www-callwave-com/10369/8 "1999-10-31T19:20:00Z")
Drain,
That’s exactly the problem I was having. For me, if I was talking on the phone, it went busy. If I wasn’t home, it went to my regular voice mail. (You have to make sure that the phone company understands that you ONLY want calls forwarded when your phone is BUSY- it took a few times for them to get it)
Try that [http://www.pagoo.com](http://www.pagoo.com)
It looks like the deal is:
On-line- takes a message for you and alerts you that you have a message
On the phone- also takes a message for you. You log on to the internet to check for messages
Not home (don’t answer)- regular voice mail picks up and you retrieve messages as usual.
## Now, I got voicemail ONLY so that when I’m online people don’t get busy signals, so I’m going to try this service for a month. If it works as promised, I’m going to drop my Bell Atlantic voice mail, and just use the service plus an answering machine. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! Zette
A friend is someone who likes you even though you’re as ugly as a hat full of assholes.
[Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html)
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### Author:  [@Satan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satan)
#### Post date: [October 31, 1999, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/www-callwave-com/10369/9 "1999-10-31T22:12:00Z")
Yes, if you want to use this, you have to not use Voice Mail. Since I use my computer as my answering machine (Megaphone), this does not affect me.
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### Author:  [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)
#### Post date: [November 1, 1999, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/www-callwave-com/10369/10 "1999-11-01T14:12:00Z")
By the way, for anyone using callwave- I’ve had several people say that the greeting is LOUD. Really loud. I don’t know what that’s all about- it’s not all the time either. Strange…
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### Author:  [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)
#### Post date: [November 2, 1999, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/www-callwave-com/10369/11 "1999-11-02T21:04:00Z")
Just an update for anyone who cares:
I’m using pagoo for my answering service now, and it beats callwave by a longshot. It does my greeting and people can leave nice long messages if they want. You have to pay for it, but I don’t mind for the convenience…
Zette
* * *
A friend is someone who likes you even though you’re as ugly as a hat full of assholes.
[Zettecity](http://www.angelfire.com/ny3/zettecity/index.html)