A service provided by a phone network to store and manage voice messages for individual users.

Like an answering machine, voice mail can handle a call when the person being called is unavailable, by playing a greeting message and recording a voice message from the caller.

From a modern mobile phone, the voice mail system can usually be accessed by pressing and holding the "1" key, although some phones use a different key, or require dialing a code. Once connected to the system, voice messages can be retrieved and managed using an audio phone menu interface.

Some newer phones have visual voicemail, which allows faster, easier access to voicemail messages via a visual interface.

Many voice mail systems also offer advanced options such as different greetings for different times or dates, or fax management.