What Are Ringless Voicemail Drops?

Businesses are continually seeking innovative ways to reach their target audiences. One method that has gained traction in recent years is the use of ringless voicemail drops.

How do Ringless Voicemail drops work? Are they legal? Read on to find out and learn more about whether this technology is advisable for you to use in your outreach strategy—or if there are better ways to connect with more prospects.

PhoneBurner’s Commitment to Responsible Communications

We believe in driving results for outbound calling teams while upholding ethical calling practices. That’s why our power dialing software includes features like:

• No telemarketer delays or dropped calls
• Internal Do-Not-Call management and DNC.com integration
• Caller ID management
• Support for FCC’s STIR/SHAKEN protocol
• Business verification and scam/spam likely flag remediation

… Plus much more. Our platform is designed for sales teams that value safe, effective, and efficient communication. Now, let’s learn more about how ringless voicemail drops work, along with their implications for the way you reach prospects.

What are Ringless Voicemail Drops? 

As the name suggests, ringless voicemail is a technology that allows for a pre-recorded voicemail message to be delivered directly to a recipient’s voicemail inbox without the phone ringing.

If your phone has ever alerted you to a new voicemail and you’ve thought, “that’s odd, the phone was sitting right here. It never rang,” then you’ve likely experienced this contentious technology.

How Ringless Voicemail Works

Ringless voicemail technology works by transferring an audio recording from the sender’s server directly to the phone recipient's voicemail server. This process effectively bypasses the cellular network, so that the telephone does not ring.

Here's a step-by-step breakdown of the process:

1. Record and Upload the Message: Record a voicemail message and upload it to the ringless voicemail provider’s app or platform.
2. Identify Recipients: Input or import the phone numbers of the contacts to whom you would like to deliver your message.
3. Delivery: The service provider leverages a server-to-server connection to directly deliver the message into each recipient’s voicemail inbox.
4. Notification: The recipient receives a notification from their voicemail service provider indicating that a new voicemail has arrived.

This process ensures that there is no call event on the recipient’s device so they receive the message without the disruption of a ringing phone. This is both the primary appeal and point of contention for this technology.

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The Pros & Cons of Ringless Voicemail

Here is a summary of the benefits and drawbacks of ringless voicemail drops.

Pros

Ringless voicemail is marketed as an efficient and affordable way to reach large volumes of contacts with a targeted message. Rather than a rep dialing, wading through voicemail greetings, and spending time in conversations, software can just deposit the message into the contacts’ voicemail inbox.

Proponents argue that ringless voicemails are not intrusive, because they don’t interrupt the recipient with a ringing call or the need to have a conversation.

Cons

Opponents argue the opposite however, claiming that voicemail messages are every bit as intrusive as a call or a text. Some people also have a negative perception of companies who use this method, perceiving it to be spammy or untrustworthy.

If you think about it, it all boils down to consent, and whether the recipients want the messages, or not. This dovetails perfectly with the legality issue.

Legal Status: The Debate & Current Laws

The Debate

There have been contentious debates about the legality of ringless voicemails, with some parties appealing to the FCC to exempt the practice from TCPA protections.

• Proponents argued: that since ringless voicemails do not involve a traditional phone call, they should not fall under the TCPA regulations which require consent for auto-dialed calls to mobile phones.
• Opponents argued: that ringless voicemail is essentially the same as a phone call and thus should be subject to the same consent requirements as outlined in the TCPA.

For a time, there was no clear-cut answer.

Today there is.

Is Ringless Voicemail Legal?

On November 21, 2022 a unanimous FCC decision ended the debate about the use of ringless voicemail drops. The FCC ruled that ringless voicemails are “calls” made with a prerecorded or artificial voice and thus are subject to TCPA restrictions, just as with phone calls, texts, and traditional voicemails.

This means that ringless voicemail drops may only be used with prior express written consent.

Furthermore, courts have ruled that it is not the technology providers who are liable for violations, but rather the users themselves. Senders of ringless voicemail drops can be subject to fines and lawsuits, whether or not the recipient opens the message.

Sensible Use Cases for Ringless Voicemail

Given the legal rulings, the answer seems pretty clear. Ringless voicemail is a sensible option if you have prior express written consent, and if the messages are wanted by the recipients. In absence of these conditions, ringless voicemail drops are a nuisance that can put your organization at risk of costly fines and reputational damage.

Here are some examples of legitimate use cases when consent is provided:

• School attendees interested in receiving news and notifications
• Retail store customers requesting product release alerts
• Accountant clients interested in filing deadlines

Again, consent and value are critical.

Smart Alternatives to Ringless Voicemail Drops

Given the legal ambiguities and potential for negative consumer reactions, businesses might consider alternative communication methods. Email marketing, SMS campaigns (with explicit consent), and personalized direct mail can serve as effective, compliant, and less intrusive ways to reach your audience.

From a sales perspective, however, nothing beats a phone call—the most scalable method for human-centric communications.

PhoneBurner’s Stance & Recommendation

PhoneBurner has no plans to offer ringless voicemail drops.

The goal of ringless voicemail is to bypass a conversation. PhoneBurner is purpose-built to facilitate live conversations. In other words, ringless voicemails are mis-aligned with our mission.

Our recommendation?

Make live conversations your goal. Use voicemail as a tool/touchpoint to have more of them. 

• A good voicemail can earn you a callback
• A good voicemail can increase the odds of a pickup on a subsequent call
• Thanks to iPhone’s Live Voicemail, a good voicemail can lead to a pickup!

From a sales perspective, there is no better way to build relationships that drive revenue.

Power dialing with PhoneBurner helps you engage more contacts in less time. When contacts answer, connections are seamless. No pause. No delay. No awkward silence.

If you reach voicemail, you can leave a message live—or if you have explicit consent to leave a pre-recorded message, you can take advantage of our 1-click voicemails.

Here’s how that works:

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1. Record voicemails: Build a library of pre-recorded voicemails to cover all of your call campaigns and audience needs.
2. Attach voicemails to disposition buttons: Our customizable “Voicemail” disposition buttons can be configured to leave your pre-recorded message for you.
3. Start power dialing: Any time a contact answers, you speak to them live. Connections are seamless without any awkward pause or delay. If you reach a contact’s voicemail and have the necessary consent, just click your “Voicemail” disposition button.
4. PhoneBurner leaves your voicemail: Our system waits for the beep and leaves your pre-recorded message while dialing your next contact. The same click can also send a personalized email and even a text message (with A2P 10DLC business texting approval).

With PhoneBurner, you prioritize live conversations but can navigate voicemails in the most efficient and scalable way possible.

Win-win.

Reaching Your Prospects Ethically with PhoneBurner

In choosing the right communication strategy, it's essential to balance speed and effectiveness with respect for consumer preferences and legal compliance. Always prioritize methods that align with ethical standards and foster positive relationships with your audience.

Want to learn how to dramatically improve your outreach performance, ethically? Demo our software to experience the #1 dialing platform for strategic outreach—and see why thousands of clients trust us to connect with and convert more of their leads.

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