Madison Fantozzi / Contributing writer
Photo by Johnson Atis
The mechanized voice of a woman introduces the date, the time, the number of voicemails, the phone number and gives a complimentary “here is your message.”
With text messaging and newer technology, students are utilizing faster, more fluid ways of sending and receiving messages.
“I do not use voicemail. It is faster and easier to check a text message – simple as that,” said Carol Rock, a junior and public relations major.
According to data from the internet phone company Vonage, leaving a voice message has dropped 8 percent and retrieving a voice message has dropped 14 percent among users from July 2011 to July 2012.
“Texting is trumping voicemail because of its speed of access and the fluidity of the message,” said Carlos Suris, media instructor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “It has become habitual.”
Students are guilty of avid texting, but they credit voicemail for its professionalism.
“I do not like voicemail if it is from friends or family, but I think it is [appropriate] for a business, my job, or doctor’s office to leave a voicemail,” said Rock.
Although voicemail use is waning, it may not signal an end to this medium of messaging altogether.
“You have to use the right tool for the right situation,” said Michael Sheerin, a professional in the new media industry and member of the Journalism and Mass Communication Department.
Sheerin mentioned an alternative to voice and text messaging, VOXing which converges these techniques into one. It is a walkie-talkie like application where the user sends an instantaneous voice message accompanied with a text version of the statement.
Sheerin explained that texting and voicemail are both useful for communicating different things. Text messages are best when a conversation is not needed, while voice messaging can give a better, extensive explanation.
“I continue to use voicemail,” said Laurie Ramirez, sophomore and journalism major. “I like to leave a voice message when I am communicating something that is important, requires an explanation, or has to do with business.”
Some students are willing to put in the extra effort to listen to a voice message that relates to a job or an important appointment, but it is clear that texting is the go-to form of messaging for daily communication with friends and family.
“I think people do not like voicemail because they are too lazy to check their messages. The process takes up too much time,” said Ramirez.
Suris said that this generation should not be characterized as lazy for leading the revolution of messaging. In fact, this generation is not doing anything revolutionary by abandoning voicemail for texting at all.
Suris explained that this pattern has existed since the beginning of communication. The split of communication from transportation with the invention of the telegraph is relevant to today’s split of messaging from voice with technology like text messaging and VOXing.
While some students hold onto voicemail as a more formal way of communicating, others have no intention of resorting to this form of messaging.
“I do not leave people voice messages anymore,” said Laura Duque, junior and international relations major.
Duque said if she wants to catch-up with a friend she will use the application Hey Tell! on her iPhone. This application is similar to VOXing and combines the traditional voice of a phone call with text messaging.
“Texting is a lot easier and more efficient than having to listen to a voicemail and jot things down from the message,” said Duque. “Voicemail is dying out more and more everyday with new methods and technology.”
About Post Author
