This may be a silly question but has anyone heard of an answer machine that you cant leave a message on? Someone called has two lines one of the lines they want messages left on the other is just information and no0 message. They are small non profit and dont want a telephone system.
Thanks for your help.

In the telephone industry, they are called announcement sets.

In the absence of one of them, most commercially-available answering machines will allow programming so that no message can be left. The announcement message can say that "this recording is for informational purposes only, and no messages can be left at this number."

I suggest two separate inexpensive machines. In that way, the end-user won't get confused.

I would check around locally for a telephone contractor who understands these features, and who can provide the machines and expertise for you.

Many years ago, a 2-line stand alone AT&T branded answering machine (model 1772) was available

Each line was independent of the other so 1 line could get the full treatment (answer calls and record messages), while the other side could be set up as announce only.

Here is the manual.

At one time, there were multiple answering machines available to choose from. But....with the contraction of POTS lines, the proliferation of cordless telephones and bundling of voicemail service.....stand alone answering machines have just about vanished from the market.

at&t/VTech offers 1 model (the 1739), but I don't think it has an "answer only" mode. My favorite single line models are the AT&T/Lucent 1715 (1 line/1 mailbox) & the 1725 (1 line/4 mailboxes).

Check out this product: https://www.vikingelectronics.com/products/view_product.php?pid=479

Most answering machines have an "announce only" feature.

The 1739 doesn't appear to have it.

User Guide

Also check Mike Sandman

I hope these gentlemen have answered your question, but can I jump in for a little clarification (cuz I tend to complicate things and want to cover all bases)?

I had a residential client who was recently complaining that no one was able to leave a message on their home answering machine. The service they had was Verizon's FiOS.

The behavior was:

1. Call comes in and rings four times. Answering machine picks up.

2. Caller hears, "The time allotted for you to make a call has been exceeded. Please hang up and try your call again". Note that a similar, but differently worded message was heard when the call was made from a cell phone.

3. Lather, rinse, repeat. This nonsense goes on until the answering machine fills up with "The time allotted..." messages, but none from a real human.

4. Two hours on the phone with Verizon directing them to check cover points for RNA and all that jazz. Turns out that during a "weekend grooming" of their voice circuits, someone put in a Call Forward on Busy or No Answer to a 7 digit number (where 10 digits in that field are normally required).

It's a very, very long shot. But I thought I'd mention it in case you were experiencing anything at all like what I've described.

Not trying to beat this to death, but the OP is trying to find an answering machine with an "announce only" feature for his client. Most Panasonic machines have this feature.

Ill go with danny, at a help desk i set up they had 2 extensions that calls would be shunted to when there were network issues that had cheap panasonic machines set to answer only. It was found to be simpler than to shunting the calls to voice mail boxes on the PBX.but yes they were panasonic ones,

Thanks for everbodies input. I emailed my supplier and he sent me pricing. Viking DVA-LPA. Email customer so we will see. Oh by the way it has to come from the USA.