I am sure the answer is simple, but is there a voicemail indicator on the phone's home screen? I received a new voicemail yesterday and to my surprise there were 5 other vm's waiting for me. Other phones let you know with a videotape icon or something similar. What am I missing?

I had the same problem on Voda. My solution was to change the notification method in the voicemail setup (ring 121, or your network's equivalent). "Icon Notification" doesn't seem to work on the N900 so I switched to "Message Notification" and now get a text and a blue flashing LED with each voicemail message.

Hey thanks for the reply. Did you change the notification method in your voicemail settings over the phone (while in your voicemail options) or did you do it online (i.e. www.t-mobile.com)? I am having a hard time reaching the settings you mentioned.

Bummer we have to eat up txts as a workaround for what is, IMO, a huge oversight by Nokia and Maemo.

Not sure how to go about it on T-Mob or even if the text notification is available, but I'd be surprised if it wasn't.
On voda, I rang the voicemail number, selected 'voicemail setup', then 'notifications', then 'Text notification'. job done.

on my old 5800XM I used to get a persistent 'new voicemail' icon on the main screen, but I guess the N900 doesn't have the facility. Maybe later...

WS

Really seems strange to me to omit this capability. It seems very basic.

Here in the UK, I've used voicemail with:

Nokia 6210 on Orange contract
Nokia 6120 Classic on 3 contract
Sony-Ericsson K850i on 3 contract
Nokia 2630 on Vodafone PAYG
Nokia 2630 (after unlocking) on 3 contract
Nokia N900 on Vodafone PAYG

Out of all of the combinations, I've only seen a voicemail icon on the ancient Nokia 6210 on Orange. All the others sent a text.

So I wouldn't call the voicemail icon a common, basic feature that other phones/networks have. Clearly they don't.

I have read that the "voicemail flag" is an operator dependent feature.

Frankly an icon or a text are both annoying. In this day and age we should be receiving "voice messages" in our inbox, alongside emails and texts. Virtually all phones can receive them.

The fact we don't is ongoing proof that network operators still hate their customers, and a reason to cheer on Google Voice, if only to force network operators to grow up.

sounds strange but i got notification in IM/SMS as "Voice Mail" and in Phone app as "Voicemail". But only one of them at any incidents. What i mean i that i get one of those as indicator as well as notification tone (like SMS) and flashing LED (Blue).

I'm on US Tmobile.

The tape reel notification is trigger by a special format SMS to the handset in question. This is operator dependant on how this is configured (if at all). The common alternate is a simple text via SMS.

At present I beleive you will find that the N900 doesn't support this extended capability along with a few other features. It would be nice to see this implimented but in the meantime simply call your operator customer services to ask them how to configure this for your account.

I'm on USA's TMobile too. When someone leaves a voicemail I get a alert saying voicemail. Clicking it will dial my voicemail box #.

I'm also on T-Mo inthe US...I activated LEDs for VM. I also get "pop-up notification", along with the "windows key" (to the left of the status bar") turning "white" whenever status changes.