I remember when answering machines got smaller. I got a land line phone with an answering machine build into the phone. So the answering machine did not have to be hooked up to the phone, also so that the answering machine would be lighter in weight.
The part I did not like was when teachers called my parents and then they could not reach my parent. They then left a voicemail on the answering machine. So my parents would know that they called. If the phone did not have the answering machine I would have just not answered the phone and then my parents would not have known that a teacher called. One teacher left a message and me and parents could not understand what she said.(She had a weird accent) So I got lucky because I did not get in trouble.
Before cellphones had voicemail.
There was no voicemail on cell phones and people had to buy a pager to know if someone called them or not. Then they called the caller back on their cell phone or ask to use a land line phone or use pay to use a pay phone.
http://inventors.about.com/od/astartinventions/a/Answering.htm
Before voicemail stored in your phones.
Home phone answering machines
I remember when answering machines got smaller. I got a land line phone with an answering machine build into the phone. So the answering machine did not have to be hooked up to the phone, also so that the answering machine would be lighter in weight.
The part I did not like was when teachers called my parents and then they could not reach my parent. They then left a voicemail on the answering machine. So my parents would know that they called. If the phone did not have the answering machine I would have just not answered the phone and then my parents would not have known that a teacher called. One teacher left a message and me and parents could not understand what she said.(She had a weird accent) So I got lucky because I did not get in trouble.
Before cellphones had voicemail.
There was no voicemail on cell phones and people had to buy a pager to know if someone called them or not. Then they called the caller back on their cell phone or ask to use a land line phone or use pay to use a pay phone.