Microsoft to drop some voicemail features on Skype due to low usage

In an email to users, Microsoft’s Skype today announced some changes coming to the Voicemail feature on the service. The company is making a number of changes, part of Skype’s transition to the modern infrastructure. Firstly, Skype will now use text or video message instead of voicemail — for example, if you are calling someone and they are not able to answer it, Skype will let you send a video message (or text) instead of using voicemail. However, if you prefer voicemails, you will be able to switch to that from the Skype account portal.

In addition to this, Microsoft is dropping some voicemail features on Skype due to low usage. The service will no longer support SMS voicemail transcription, email notifications and custom greetings for voicemail. Apparently, these features will be replaced with a “modern way”. Here’s the email:

As an active voicemail user, we’d like to tell you about a few changes we’re making over the coming weeks. Our changes are designed to bring our voicemail and messaging capabilities to the next generation of Skype. This is part of the journey of transitioning Skype to the cloud and offering a more modern service to our customers.

• Improvements to voicemail – We’re simplifying things for you by enabling all users with the ability to send a text or video message to someone who was unable to answer your call. If you prefer using traditional Skype voicemail, you will still continue to receive voicemails from your callers. And going forward, you’ll control the settings for the feature via the Skype account portal.
• Features of voicemail which we will no longer support – Based on customers’ low usage, we’ve decided to no longer support SMS voicemail transcription, email notifications, and custom greetings. These will be replaced with a more modern way to leave a message; by composing a short video or text following an unanswered Skype-to-Skype call. For traditional phone calls to Skype Numbers, voicemail messages will continue to be saved.

Microsoft says these changes will be rolling out over the coming weeks, and it’ll presumably affect Skype on all platforms.