General Voice Mailbox Solutions
Learn more about how personal and general mailboxes differ, and explore the different options your company can use to implement a general mailbox (dual vs. unified mailboxes).
Written by Val Campos
Updated at May 7th, 2026
Table of Contents
Personal Mailboxes
When an extension number is created within Stratus, a mailbox is created for that extension number as well. This personal mailbox can be used by callers to leave a message when their call to that extension number goes unanswered. Some companies may set a personal mailbox as a destination for afterhours calls, unanswered calls in a call queue, one of the options for an auto attendant, or another user's unanswered calls.
Personal mailboxes can be checked from an IP phone or softphone registered to their extension number. This can be done by dialing 5001 on that user's phone or softphone. The Message button on an IP phone can also be used to check a user's personal mailbox. Pressing this button will dial 5001 automatically. Our softphones, the StratusHUB desktop app and the Stratus mobile app, include a Voicemail page that can be used to check voicemails as well.
Quick Tip: Users can check a different user's personal mailbox by reaching the mailbox and pressing star (*) to prompt the mailbox to ask for the mailbox's PIN. This can be done by directly dialing the mailbox or dialing the user and waiting to be taken to voicemail.
You can directly dial another user's mailbox by doing one of the following:
• Dial the 03 code and another user's extension number.
For example, I would dial 03100 to call x100's mailbox. While the greeting is playing, I can press * to prompt the mailbox to ask for the mailbox's PIN.
• Dial 5000 to use a menu to search for a user's mailbox.
The menu will ask for the user's “account number”, which will be their extension number. Afterwards, enter the PIN for the user's mailbox and follow its options.
General Mailboxes
Many companies may want an extra mailbox that acts as the main mailbox for general voicemails that are not intended to be for a specific person. General mailboxes can be created for this purpose. Once a general mailbox is created, our team can make accessing the mailbox easier by adjusting how the mailbox is dialed for your account and creating speed dial buttons that dials the mailbox.
✔ Some accounts may have multiple general mailboxes that serve as mailboxes for different departments or sites or as a way to group messages that are left for specific requests. Other companies may prefer to have a single mailbox that all users should be able to access using the Message button of their desk phones or cordless handsets.
General Mailbox Implementation Methods
There are two different ways a general mailbox can be set in place for a company. Review the module below to learn more about these methods:
Method 1: A Single, Unified Mailbox
By default, pressing the Message button on a phone will dial 5001, which will take the user to their extension number's own mailbox. If you would like the Message button to be used to only check the Unified Mailbox, the code 5001 can be updated to dial into the general mailbox's voicemail management menu instead.
✔ This method would allow each user to press the Message button on their phones and softphones to check the general mailbox.
This method is used more often by small businesses (e.g., warehouses, restaurants, retail stores, auto shops, etc.) that do not need their users receiving separate voicemail messages.
Once a general mailbox has been created, you have the option of registering the general mailbox to phones. Doing so would allow the Power LED to flash when a voicemail is left in the general mailbox. This would also allow voicemail notifications to appear for the general mailbox as well.
NOTE: If you have a general mailbox registered to a phone, you will see an extra line appearance key for the general mailbox user. This button can be ignored.
Line appearance keys are used for placing and receiving calls as an extension number. You would avoid pressing this button since you only need to check the mailbox; not place calls as the general mailbox user.
To check the mailbox, you would either press the Message button, dial 5001, or use the Messages menu of a phone/handset.
Registering a general mailbox to a phone will also allow the general mailbox to be view through a desk phone's Messages menu. To review how you can find the Messages menu of your particular phone brand, review the dropdown below:
Find the Messages Menu of a Phone
For Yealink phones, users can navigate to Menu → 4. Message → 1. Voice Mail →1. View Voice Mail to see the list of mailboxes they can check from the phone.
For Grandstream phones, users can press the OK button and navigate to 4. Messages → Voicemail to see a list of Accounts.
The general mailbox should be listed as the account number that matches the line you assigned the general mailbox to in the Phone Hardware page.
For Poly phones, press the Home button and navigate to 3. Messages → Message Center to see a list of lines, which should include the general mailbox.
Method 2: Multiple/Dual Mailboxes
For companies that want their users to keep their own mailboxes while being able to access and check a general mailbox, utilizing a dual mailbox setup would be the most beneficial for these users.
✔ This method would allow each user to press the Message button on their phones and softphones to check their personal mailboxes while still being able to check the general mailbox by dialing its extension number.
If this method will be used, our technical support team can add speed dial buttons for the mailbox to the phones of people that should be able to check the mailbox and manage its messages.
Quick Tip: Some companies may have multiple general mailboxes. For example, a company may have a general mailbox for each of their departments/offices.
For these companies, they may have a receptionist, secretary, or customer service team that would have speed dial buttons on their phone for contacting each of these mailboxes.
Once a general mailbox has been created, you have the option of registering the general mailbox to phones. Doing so would allow the Power LED to flash when a voicemail is left in the general mailbox. This would also allow voicemail notifications to appear for the general mailbox as well.
NOTE: If you have a general mailbox registered to a phone, you will see an extra line appearance key for the general mailbox user. This button can be ignored.
Line appearance keys are used for placing and receiving calls as an extension number. You would avoid pressing this button since you only need to check the mailbox; not place calls as the general mailbox user.
To check the general mailbox, you would either press the speed dial button, dial the extension number of the general mailbox, or use the Messages menu of a phone/handset.
Registering a general mailbox to a phone will also allow the general mailbox to be view through a desk phone's Messages menu. To review how you can find the Messages menu of your particular phone brand, review the dropdown below:
Find the Messages Menu of a Phone
For Yealink phones, users can navigate to Menu → 4. Message → 1. Voice Mail →1. View Voice Mail to see the list of mailboxes they can check from the phone.
For Grandstream phones, users can press the OK button and navigate to 4. Messages → Voicemail to see a list of Accounts.
The general mailbox should be listed as the account number that matches the line you assigned the general mailbox to in the Phone Hardware page.
For Poly phones, press the Home button and navigate to 3. Messages → Message Center to see a list of lines, which should include the general mailbox.
Submit a Request to Create a General Mailbox
To submit a request to have a general mailbox for voicemails set up, you would contact our technical support team by doing one of the following:
- Calling (469) 429-2500.
- Emailing support@spectrumvoip.com.
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Sending in a ticket using our support website:
https://www.spectrumvoip.com/support/.
Within your request, it is recommended to include the following:
- Will the general mailbox be a dual mailbox or unified mailbox?
Reminder: A Dual Mailbox is a general mailbox that a user would check along with their own personal mailbox.
This mailbox is usually checked by dialing its extension number or pressing a button that dials the extension number when pressed.A Unified Mailbox is a general mailbox that acts as a replacement for every user's personal mailbox.
This ensures that every user would be able to check the unified mailbox by pressing the Message button on their desk phone or dialing 5001. This option is preferrable for businesses that do not want users to have their own mailboxes to manage.- If the general mailbox will be a mailbox the user would check in addition to their personal mailbox (i.e., a dual mailbox), include a list of users/extension numbers that should have a speed dial for the mailbox added to their phones.
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When should callers leave messages with this mailbox?
Consider the following scenarios where calls may go to voicemail:- For calls during a specific time for the whole business or a specific location, such as the afterhours, lunches, or any special events.
- For unanswered calls from a call queue.
- For direct calls unanswered by specific or all users.
- As an option for a busy, lunch, or afterhours auto attendant.
- A preferred, 4-digit PIN for the mailbox.
WARNING: The PIN for the mailbox cannot be 1234.
- A script for the voicemail greeting that callers should hear when they reach the mailbox.
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If the mailbox should be registered to one or more phones. If so, provide a list of the users/extension numbers that will need this change.
Note: Registering the mailbox to phones will allow those phones to flash their Power LED (or MWI) when a message has been received by the mailbox.
- If the mailbox should have email notifications for voicemails enabled. If so, provide a list of email addresses that should receive the email notifications.
- If an email notification for when the mailbox is full should be enabled.
- If you expect this mailbox to need extra storage due to receiving a large number of voicemail messages on a daily basis.
Note: By default, each mailbox that is created for your account has a storage limit of 10 MB, which usually is 30-40 voicemail messages, depending on the length of the voicemail messages and if the mailbox has extra voicemail greetings.