I have found pdf files of the manuals online. I can pick up the phone at the front desk, hit 0 and it rings to the operator. I called the motel with my cell phone, which by the way is a local number to the area i'm in. I wait for the message to play, hit 0, and it rings through. My wife called shortly after on her cell phone which is an ohio number, waited for the message, hit 0, and it hung up.