A voicemail system (also known as voice message or voice bank) is a computer-based system that allows callers to leave a recorded message when the recipient has been unable or unwilling to answer the phone. Calls may be diverted to voicemail manually or automatically. The caller is prompted to leave a message and the recipient can retrieve the message at a later time.
Voicemail can be used for personal calls and more complex systems exist for companies and services to handle customer requests. The term is also used more broadly to denote any system of conveying stored telecommunications voice messages, including using an answering machine.