About fax machines; Custom features; Do you have Voice Mail on the phone line?- Page 32

Chapter 1

1 - 13

About fax machines

Custom features

Do you have Voice Mail on the phone 
line?

If you have Voice Mail on the phone line 
where you will install your new MFC, 

there is 

a strong possibility that Voice Mail and the 
MFC may conflict with each other while 
receiving incoming calls

.

Why should there be problems?

Since both the MFC and Voice Mail will pick 
up the call, after the number of rings you have 
set, each of them has the ability to keep the 
other from receiving calls.

For example, if Voice Mail is set to answer 
after two rings and your MFC is set to answer 
after four, Voice Mail will stop your MFC from 
receiving faxes.

If you set Voice Mail and the Brother MFC to 
answer after the same number of rings, there 
is no way of knowing which one will answer 
first. It is important to remember that neither 
Voice Mail nor the MFC can pass the call 
back to the other after the call has been 
answered.

How can you avoid possible 
problems?

A very good way to avoid problems like the 
one mentioned, 

is to get a second phone 

number on your present phone line

.

Many people with Voice Mail choose an 
alternative service, which is called 
“Distinctive Ring”, and they are very satisfied 
with it. 
(See 

Distinctive Ring

 on page A-1.)

Another way to avoid possible problems is to 
replace Voice Mail with an answering 
machine. Your Brother MFC is designed to 
work with an answering machine or TAD 
(telephone answering device). 
(See 

Connecting an external telephone 

answering device (TAD)

 on page A-5.)