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Based on electronic voice mailboxes, VMS is a monthly service which requires no on-site equipment. Available services include Telephone Answering and Voice Mail as well as "Special Applications." VMS Special Applications include Automated Attendant, Bulletin Board, Voice Forms, and FAX on Demand.

All mailboxes are password protected with access available only through use of the password. The mailbox subscriber determines and enters the password. Without the password, no one, not even OTM or the vendor, can access the mailbox. However, OTM can have the password reset when the mailbox user forgets the current password, the previous mailbox user has left the agency, or an emergency situation arises and access to an employee's mailbox is crucial.

There are a number of different types of service associated with VMS. Not all services are applicable or available in all instances. As Special Applications are designed using a building block approach, OTM assistance will be required to determine a complete list of required components and pricing. OTM will meet with the agency to discuss the agency's needs and tailor an application specific to those needs.

• Telephone Answering--This provides the capability whereby a busy or unanswered telephone is answered with a subscriber recorded greeting. The caller may either leave a message or hang up. Multiple calls to one number can be handled simultaneously by the system.

  The subscriber can retrieve messages from any touchtone telephone. As an option, the system will send an Outcall to a designated telephone number or pager (beeper) and notify the subscriber that there is a message in the mailbox. Once retrieved, messages can be played, saved, replayed, and/or deleted. These messages can also be forwarded to another subscriber with an introductory message. Deleted messages can be undeleted while on the same call. If the subscriber has no reason to listen to the deleted messages a second time, he may simply hang up. He does not have to listen to them again.

  Full featured service or Integrated service provides two other valuable features. First, callers may press "0" to be transferred to an attendant or other answering point. Second, the system will provide either an audible (stutter dial tone) or visual message waiting indicator to notify the subscriber that there is an unheard message waiting in the mailbox.

  Telephone Answering works with, and includes, Voice Mail features.

• Voice Mail--This provides the ability to create a voice message and send it to another voice mail subscriber's mailbox. Voice mail is similar to electronic mail (e-mail) except that voice mail uses the telephone and voice rather than a keyboard and text. Also, any touchtone telephone anywhere in the world can be used to access VMS rather than being restricted to a computer terminal as with e-mail.

  For outgoing messages, distribution lists can be established to send a voice mail message to all of the members on the distribution list. This permits the subscriber to record a single voice message which will be heard as recorded by all members of the distribution list. Confirmation of receipt or non-receipt may be requested.

  There are three different sizes of basic message-taking mailboxes, to which a number of optional features can be added at extra charge. Contact OTM for ordering and pricing assistance.

  Small Message-Taking Mailbox (VMSSM)
  Maximum incoming message length of 2 minutes.
  Maximum greeting length of 30 seconds.
  Maximum of 30 messages stored.
  New messages (unplayed) stored 15 days.
  Saved messages (played) stored 10 days.

Medium Message-Taking Mailbox (VMSME)
Maximum incoming message length of 4 minutes.
Maximum greeting length of 45 seconds.
Maximum of 50 messages stored.
New messages (unplayed) stored 15 days.
Saved messages (played) stored 10 days.

Large Message-Taking Mailbox (VMSLG)
Maximum incoming message length of 4 minutes.
Maximum greeting length of 45 seconds.
Maximum of 100 messages stored.
New messages (unplayed) stored 15 days.
Saved messages (played) stored 10 days.

• Automated Attendant--This provides callers the capability to self-direct or route their call based on menu choices. Application may have multiple menus, and each menu may have up to nine items. Typically, these choices would be to a particular department, function, or information-providing recording.

Automated Attendant has the option of defaulting a call to an attendant. It can also be set up to recognize after hours operation changes so that calls received outside of work hours are handled differently than during work day operations.

• Bulletin Boards--These are used to provide information to callers. Bulletin Board information is recorded by the agency and can be changed at any time. Examples of recorded information could be routine items such as office hours, office location, and mailing address. It could be information about what services are available, qualifications for eligibility, or instructions on how to apply for services. It could also be status information such as the date checks were mailed, final date to apply, or information about a one-time offering.

  Bulletin Boards can work alone or be part of a larger system which includes the Automated Attendant function.

• Voice Forms--These are used to collect and record responses from callers in a structured manner. Voice Forms may be used alone or may be part of a multi-component VMS system. This is a more efficient method of collecting large numbers of recorded responses than free-form messages. Each voice forms package will hold up to 135 sets of caller responses to the questions asked by the voice forms.

  Rather than giving instructions and then letting the caller give a free form response, the Voice Forms Mailbox asks for specific information in a sequential manner and records the caller's responses. Questions could include the caller's full name, street address, city, zip code, social security number, telephone number, etc.

  When the information is retrieved for transcription by office personnel, only the caller's responses are heard. With Voice Forms, responses will be complete, consistent, and in the order necessary to easily input the information onto a form or into a computer screen layout.

• Voice Forms Additional Storage--Provides overflow response storage (in excess of 135 sets) to existing voice forms, as well as allowing for simultaneous message retrieval by more than one agency staff person.

• Fax on Demand--A service that allows callers to request information be faxed to them from a roster of as many as 30 available documents, with each set of documents made up of as many as 10 pages of text or graphics. The caller may receive up to five different documents per individual telephone transaction. The stored documents can be anything that is frequently requested from an agency such as application forms, driving directions, maps, or perhaps general information about services offered by the agency. The agency is only limited by its imagination in terms of what documents to store for retrieval. A word of caution, graphics such as a governmental seal take a long time to transmit and this service is usage sensitive.

This service can be accessed any time of the day or night. It can either be part of a larger "Special Application" or stand on its own. The subscriber agency will be responsible for maintaining the service and can easily change the documents in storage.

• Personal Fax Option--This optional add-on feature to a message-taking mailbox enables the subscriber to accept faxes to his voice mailbox, which can then be printed to a fax machine, saved or forwarded like any other voice mail message. Subscribers who are away from the office may redirect fax documents to another location. Personal fax is also used when document confidentiality demands keeping fax messages separate from the community fax machine. Up to 25 pages of fax storage is provided.

• Interfaced Option--This no-cost option on a message-taking mailbox is used in cases where the subscriber has requested service on a telephone number not located in an area with integrated voice messaging service. Interfaced service is limited in that there is no "exit out" or message waiting indication provided. Contact OTM for more information about interfaced locations.

• Transfer Box--This box can be used with standard message-taking mailboxes (VMSSM, VMSME, VMSLG) in special situations where multiple telephone numbers are to be covered by a single message-taking mailbox associated with one telephone number. A transfer box will be needed for each of the lines sharing the original message-taking mailbox. This type of mailbox may also be used with special applications according to system design requirements.

• Single Line Directory--This box can be used in two different ways:
  • It can be used with a line that is shared by one or more persons who require separate, private mailboxes. The directory permits the caller to self-direct via a menu to individual mailboxes associated with individual persons.
  • Single line directories (SLDIR) can also be used when a secretary handles telephone calls for multiple staff members. If the secretary is unavailable, the SLDIR will allow a caller to self-direct to the various staff members' mailboxes. However, it will not redirect the caller to an individual's telephone line, only to a personal mailbox.

• Subscriber Locator--This is an optional add on service to an existing integrated telephone answering coverage mailbox. It is a feature over and above the "exit out to the operator" feature. When a caller hears the mailbox greeting that advises him of this option, the caller can push "6" to attempt to immediately locate the mailbox owner (subscriber) by telephone. Ideally, the subscriber has a cell phone which the mailbox will call in an effort to connect the calling party and the subscriber in a live conversation. When the VMS reaches the subscriber, the subscriber can manually elect to either be connected to the caller or redirect the caller back to the mailbox to leave a message. The subscriber's choice of action is not apparent to the caller.

• Conditional Transfer Mailbox--Checks time of day, day of week, and/or date, and then routes the caller based on specific instructions in the mailbox programming. This type of mailbox is used in a special application to determine if a caller has arrived within, or outside, office hours, and route callers accordingly.

• Network Access Unit--At least one network access unit is required for each special application. The number of network units required by an application depends on the resources needed to meet user prerequisites. User prerequisites are determined from the anticipated number of callers, the length of application recordings, and the service level desired by the agency, resulting in a maximum number of allowed call paths (maximum number of simultaneous callers to the application). When application call paths are not available, callers will hear a busy signal. Contact OTM for assistance with any special application requests.

*One time charge is not incurred when option is ordered in conjunction with a small, medium, or large voice mailbox.

NOTE: Prices above do not include the cost of a pager or pager service if Outcall Notification to a pager is selected.

A Support Service fee of 0.5% shall be applied to the monthly cost of these services.

How To Order

• VMS Telephone Answering and Voice Mail--Complete the Voice Messaging Order Form (OTM-7). The agency TC must approve the form before sending it to the OTM Customer Service Section. The full and accurate completion of these forms will help to minimize delays in the delivery of service.

If changes are needed to existing service, the agency TC should submit the Voice Messaging Change Form (OTM-8) to the OTM Customer Service Section.

If a mailbox password needs to be reset, the agency TC should submit the Voice Messaging Password Reset Request Form (OTM-9) to the OTM Customer Service Section.

• Special Applications Services--These include Automated Attendant, Bulletin Boards, Voice Forms, and Fax on Demand and will require special design considerations. These require detailed discussions with interested agencies which will result in tailored design and scripting. These applications require the use of various mailbox components to create a custom designed VMS system. In addition, each Special Application requires at least one network access unit. OTM's Voice Processing Section will work with the user agency to design and develop the Special Application before providing a cost estimate. The agency is under no obligation to continue after the estimate is given.

Forms
OTM-7 Voice Messaging Order Form
OTM-8 Voice Messaging Change Form
OTM-9 Password Reset Form