Voice Help

Step 1: Pick up your receiver and dial 712-765-4996

Step 2: Press 9 to access the Setup Menu

Step 3: Press 2 to change your password

Step 4: Enter a new password, followed by the # key

Step 5: To verify, enter your password again

Step 1: Pick up your receiver and dial 712-765-4996

Step 2: Press 9 to access the Setup Menu

Step 3: To change or record your greeting:

            Press 1 – Greeting options

            Press 2 – Record your greeting

            Press # – End recording function

Step 4: When you are finished recording your greeting:

            Press 1 – Listen to greeting

            Press 2 – Save greeting. Greeting must be saved to be active

            Press 3 – Delete greeting

            Press * – Return to mailbox setup

Step 1: Dial 712-765-4996

Step 2: Enter your mailbox number, which is your phone number

Step 3: Enter your password and press the # key

Step 1: Lift your handset and press *90; listen for dial tone

Step 2: Dial 712-765-4996

Step 3: When the phone is answered, your voicemail is in effect

(Lifting the handset and pressing *91 will turn off the voicemail option.)

Step 1: Lift your handset and press *92; listen for dial tone

Step 2: Dial the number of rings (2-9) to be allowed before the call is sent to voicemail

Step 3: Dial 712-765-4996. This will allow voicemail to answer when you can’t get to the phone or when you’re not home

(Lifting the handset and pressing *93 will turn off the voicemail option.)

You will hear a stutter dial tone if you have a message. (You can dial through the stutter dial to make a call).

You can program your calls to ring at another number. Each time a call is forwarded, your phone will make one short ring. It can still be used to make outgoing calls.

Turn on call forwarding:

Step 1: Lift handset and listen for dial tone

Step 2: Press *72; listen for dial tone

Step 3: Dial the number you want your calls forwarded to. When the phone is answered, your call forward is in effect

If the line is busy or there is no answer, hang up and repeat the steps above.

Turn off call forwarding:

Step 1: Lift handset and listen for dial tone

Step 2: Press *73. Listen for confirmation tone, then hang up. Your call forward is now off, and the call will ring normally on your phone

Change the call forward number:

Follow the steps above to turn off call forwarding. Then repeat the steps to turn on call forwarding, entering the new “forward to” number.

You can use your telephone without missing another call. A special tone alerts you to a waiting call; the person calling you hears normal ringing.

To answer a waiting call:

When you are on the phone, a special tone tells you a second call is waiting. Simply press and quickly release the “switch hook” or “flash” button on your telephone. Your first caller is automatically placed on hold while you are connected with the second caller.

If you choose not to answer the incoming call:

You will hear a special tone to remind you of the waiting call.

To alternate between callers:

Simply press and quickly release the “switch hook” or “flash” button. While you talk with one caller, the other will automatically be placed on hold. Each conversation remains private.

To end either call:

Hang up. Your phone will ring. When you answer, you will be automatically connected with the remaining caller.

To turn off call waiting before making a call:

Lift handset and listen for dial tone. Press *70. Listen for the confirmation tone. Dial the telephone number you wish to call. After you hang up, call waiting automatically turns on again.

To turn off call waiting during a call:

Press the “switch hook” or “flash” button. Press *70. Listen for the confirmation tone. You will automatically be reconnected to your call. After you hang up, call waiting automatically turns on again.

When you are talking with someone, you can add a third person to the call.

Start a 3-way connection:

Step 1: While on the phone with one person, press the “switch hook” or “flash” button to place the first person on hold

Step 2: When you hear a dial tone, dial the third person’s phone number. When the third person answers, you can choose to talk privately before making it a 3-way conversation.

Step 3: To make the 3-way connection, press the “switch hook” or “flash” button again. You can now talk with both people at the same time.

Cancel a 3-way connection:

If the third person did not answer or you wish to disconnect them, press the “switch hook” or “flash” button. You will be reconnected to the person holding. Or, if either of the two people hangs up, you can continue talking with the remaining person.

To end a call completely, simply hang up.

When you receive a call, the name and number of the person calling you is shown on your caller ID display screen.

How to use:

When you receive a call, wait until your phone completes the first ringing signal. The phone number that called you and the name associated with it will automatically appear on your display screen. If you choose to answer the call, the name and number will remain on the screen until you or the caller hangs up.

There are two items to keep in mind to ensure your landline telephone continues to work during a power outage:

1. Make sure you have a backup battery installed on your modem or ONT (the telecommunications service box typically located either on the side of your house or in your utility room). This installation is performed by an Estherville Communications technician. To find out if you have a backup battery installed, or to order a backup battery, please contact us.

• Note: Estherville Communications’ backup battery only powers your phone line, not the telephone or device itself.

2. In addition to a backup battery, you will need to have a corded phone available. Most cordless phone models need an AC power source to operate. In the case of a power outage, your cordless phone will still need a power source to operate.

• If you don’t have a corded phone, or if you prefer not to get one, consider buying a generator (i.e., UPS) that can maintain power to your home and provide power to a cordless phone.

For more information on backup batteries and your telephone options in the case of a power outage, please contact us.

To read more about Estherville Communications’ backup telephone line batteries, see our Terms & Conditions.

It is critical that you have a backup battery for your phone line to ensure the phone line is active for notification of emergency in case of a power outage.

Note that you will also need a separate source (such as a generator) to power any devices such as alert necklaces, bracelets, or cordless telephones.

[Read our related Article: Will my landline phone work during a power outage?]

It is critical that you have a backup battery for your phone line to ensure the phone line is active for notification of emergency in case of a power outage.

Note that you will also need a separate source (such as a generator) to power any devices such as cordless telephones or information monitoring devices.

[Read our related Article: Will my landline phone work during a power outage?]

Yes, you can keep your current number. Estherville Communications works with many different providers to ensure you can keep your phone number when switching your telephone service from another provider to us. When you order your services, make sure you tell your customer service representative that you would like to keep your telephone number. This is also known as a “port request.”

Note that your current provider may have a “port freeze” on your telephone line. If this is the case, you will need to call your current provider and ask them to remove this port freeze before we can transfer your telephone number to our service.

Estherville Communications offers a telephone feature called “Find Me/Follow Me.” This feature allows incoming calls to your home telephone number to be received at different locations, on different phones. When your home phone number is dialed, our system routes the call through your designated list of numbers. The alternative phones may ring simultaneously or in a preferred order of answering. If no connection is made once all telephones have rung, our system will route the call to voicemail.

Simultaneous Ringing:

A caller dials your home telephone number. Simultaneously, your home phone, cell phone and office phone will all ring. If there is no answer on any phone, the call will roll to voicemail.

Sequential Ringing:

A caller dials your home telephone number. Your home phone rings first, your cell phone rings next and finally, your office phone will ring. If there is no answer on any phone, the call will roll to voicemail.

To order Find Me/Follow Me for your home phone number, please contact us.

With phone service from Estherville Communications, you can make local calls within Estherville. All other areas are considered long distance.

If you are experiencing unusually long delays or poor service quality (i.e. noise) when placing distance calls, or certain calls are not going through, you may be experiencing rural call completion issues. Please contact Estherville Communications at 855-859-3363 to report issues you may be experiencing.

When you contact us, it would be helpful to have the date(s) and time(s) of the problematic attempts.