Calling features

Cogeco's Voice Mail service replaces the traditional answering machine.

• You can access your Voice Mail any time from your phone by dialling 22#.
• Your Voice Mail can hold up to 20 messages total (new and saved combined).
• The maximum length of a message is 2 minutes.

Activating and setting up the service

Using your Cogeco phone, dial 22# and enter your default password, which is the last 4 digits of your phone number, then select option 2 from the menu. You'll then have access to the following personalization options:

• Changing your greeting: Lets you set your Voice Mail greeting.
• Changing your password: Lets you set your 4-digit PIN for accessing your Voice Mail.
• Recording your name: Lets you set the name the caller hears when reaching your Voice Mail.

When navigating through your Voice Mail options, you can return to the main menu at any time by pressing *.

Changing the number of rings before your Voice Mail picks up

By default, your calls will be sent to your Voice Mail after 5 rings. To change this number, dial 23# and follow the verbal instructions.

Good to know: If you set the number of rings to "0", your Voice Mail will be deactivated. This means if you don't pick up, your phone will ring continuously, without sending calls to your Voice Mail.

Deleting a message

If your Voice Mail is full, you won't be able to receive any new messages until some are deleted.

• Even after they've been played, messages aren't deleted automatically. You have to press 7 at the end of the message to delete it from your mailbox.
• The only time messages are deleted automatically is after 21 days. That is the length of time your saved messages will be stored.

Note: To use this feature, you must be subscribed to Voice Mail (see Cogeco Phone features).

You can subscribe to the Unlisted Name and Phone Number calling feature to remove your name and number from the following sources:

• Directory assistance (dialling operator services or 411)
• Printed telephone directories (White Pages)
• canada411.ca

However, please note the following limitations:

• Your name and number will still appear on the Call Display of people you call. You can press *67 to hide your info on a per-call basis or add the Call Display Permanently Blocked feature.
• There are some online telephone directories that aren’t associated with traditional telephone listings and don’t get their information from Cogeco. If you find your name and number on these other sites, you’ll need to contact them directly to have your listing removed.

Changing your name in the directory

By default, the name listed in the printed directory, in directory assistance (411) and on Call Display will be the same as the name on your Cogeco bill. To change this listing, contact customer service by dialing 611 from your Cogeco line.

You can change the following:

• First name - You can choose between an initial (e.g. “P”), a single first name (e.g. “Pierre”) or a hyphenated name (e.g. “Pierre-Luc”).
• Last name - Only one last name is accepted. If you have a hyphenated family name (e.g. “Tremblay-Bouchard”), it still counts as a single last name.

The Selective Call Rejection feature, which is part of our Call Screen bundle, automatically blocks incoming numbers that you have specified. The blocked caller is connected to an announcement stating that their call is not presently being accepted by the called party.

Note: Selective Call Rejection is only available with Residential phone service.

To activate Selective Call Rejection and modify your list of blocked numbers, press *60 and follow the prompts:

• To reject the last calling party press #01#
• To turn this service On/Off press 3 (if this is the first time activated you will be requested to add at least one number to the rejection list first by pressing # followed by the number)
• To add an entry press # followed by the number (up to 100 numbers can be blocked)
• To remove one or more entries press *
• To remove all list entries press 08
• To remove all Anonymous entries press 09
• To review all entries press 1
• Note: When you press *60 you will hear a message stating if the service is currently on/off but no changes are made to the service unless one of the above commands are selected.

Good to know:

• Once the feature is active, you can also use *97 to quickly add the last caller to your rejection list, even if you don't have the caller's number (useful for telemarketers).
• Call Rejection has priority over all other calling features that may be activated for a single number. For example, if you apply Selective Call Rejection and Distinctive Ringing to the same number, the call will be blocked and you will not hear the phone ring.
• To use this feature, you must subscribe to the Call Screen bundle.

When you’re on the phone with someone, you can add a third person at any time If you’re subscribed to 3-Way Calling.

Follow these steps to add another person during a call:

1. Press the Talk/Flash button on your phone. This will put the first person on hold.
2. Dial the second person’s number.
   
   • When the second person answers, you can talk to them in private before adding them to the call.
   • If the second person doesn’t answer, press the Talk/Flash button to return.
3. To start the three-way call, press the Talk/Flash button again.

Good to know: If you’re subscribed to Call Waiting, it won’t work during a 3-way call.

If you'd like to filter out calls from people who've blocked their contact information from appearing on your call display, use *77. When an anonymous caller attempts to call you when this feature is activated, they will hear a message informing them to hang up, remove the call display block and call again. 

• To activate Anonymous Call Reject, dial * 77.
• To deactivate Anonymous Call Reject, dial * 87.

Anonymous call reject will only work if both the name and phone number are blocked. For example a call from “Unknown Name: 555-555-5555” will go through. 

To use this service, you must be subscribed to Anonymous Call Reject.