Answering machines are local devices that pick up calls and record messages when you can't answer. The technology traces back to Valdemar Poulsen's 1898 telegraphone. Consumer units moved from magnetic tape to solid-state memory; today many people use carrier voicemail, but answering machines remain useful for local control, privacy, and certain business or home setups. A good greeting should identify you, state you're unavailable, and ask for a contact number.
What an answering machine is
An answering machine is a customer-side device that answers telephone calls and records messages when you can't pick up. Unlike carrier-based voicemail, which stores messages on a network server, an answering machine keeps recordings on hardware in your home or office and gives you direct control over the messages.
A brief history
Magnetic sound recording began in the late 19th century. Danish inventor Valdemar Poulsen created the telegraphone in 1898, the first device that could magnetically record and reproduce sound. Poulsen's work laid the groundwork for later devices that could be tied to telephones to record incoming messages automatically.
Early consumer answering machines used magnetic tape. Over time, manufacturers moved to solid-state memory and flash storage, removing moving parts and making devices smaller and more reliable.
How modern answering machines differ from voicemail
- Location of storage: answering machines store messages locally; voicemail stores them on a carrier or cloud server.
- Control: local devices give you physical access to recordings and settings. Voicemail is managed through your phone provider or app.
- Integration: many home phones and VoIP adapters now offer both local answering and network voicemail options.
Typical features today
Most modern answering devices let you record a personalized greeting, set the number of rings before pickup, and review or delete messages from the handset or base unit. Tape-based machines are now niche; most consumer devices use solid-state memory or route messages to cloud voicemail.
Tips for an effective greeting
When you record your outgoing greeting, include three things:
- A brief introduction (name or household/business)
- A clear statement that you are unavailable
- A prompt to leave a contact number or preferred callback method
Announcing your phone number in the greeting can reduce wrong-number callbacks and speed up return calls.
Why answering machines still matter
Landlines are less common than they were two decades ago, but answering machines remain useful for people who want local control over recordings, for privacy reasons, or in settings with limited broadband. Small businesses and hobbyists sometimes prefer a device they can manage without relying on a carrier's service.
When to choose voicemail instead
If you need unified access across multiple devices (mobile, desktop) or want transcription and cloud backup, carrier voicemail or a hosted cloud voicemail service is usually the better choice.
- Confirm that Valdemar Poulsen specifically designed a telegraphone variant intended to automatically answer telephone calls and record messages, and identify original sources or patents for that device.