How to Turn Off Voice Mail

Or Change Number of Rings so that you can screen calls with your home answering machine.

By default, an unanswered call goes to your Cox Voice Mailbox after 4 rings. Changing it to 9 rings allows your answering machine (If you have one) to intercept the call

There are two ways to disable the Voice Mail feature of your Cox home phone service, either:

• Log in to the http://phonetools.cox.net
• Once on the page, click Settings, located on the main menu
• Click Voice Mail
• Next to Voice Mail ON / OFF, click Change
• Click the OFF button.

The second way is to allow your answering machine to intercept the call before Cox Voice Mail can. To do this, set the Voice Mail rings to 9 and leave the answering machine at 4 or 5 rings. That way, the answering machine will always pick up first, on the 4th or 5th ring, and Voice Mail will never pick up since it is set for the 9th ring (see detailed instructions below).

Changing the Number of Rings

Use this option to change the number of times the phone rings before Cox Voice Mail picks up the call.

Important: If you live in Georgia, Roanoke VA, Florida, or Baton Rouge, LA, then call us to change the number of rings for you. Those phone networks require that we set the rings from our facility. 

1. Lift the home phone handset.
2. Press *78 and wait for the confirmation dial tone.
3. Determine, then enter, the number of rings you'll allow -- from 2 to 9 -- before the call is forwarded to voice mail.
4. Listen for the confirmation tone, then hang up.