Can't leave a message-- ANNOUNCEMENT MONITOR IS OFF

You can access the answering system remotely by dialing your home telephone number from any touch-tone telephone. To remotely access the answering system
Dial your telephone number from any touch-tone telephone. When the answering system answers, enter the two-digit remote access code (19, unless you have changed it). The answering system automatically announces the number of messages (new or old) if there are any. If there are new messages, the answering system automatically begins to play new messages only. -OR If there are no new messages, the answering system automatically begins to play all old messages. You can also enter the remote commands: Play all messages
1 Press to listen to all messages. If there are new messages, the system plays back only the new messages (oldest first). If there are no new messages, the system plays back all old messages (oldest first). Play new messages
2 Press to listen to new messages only. Delete a message 3 Press during message playback to delete the current message. Delete all old messages
3 Press to delete all old messages. Replay current message or previous message
4 To repeat the message currently playing, press 4 after the answering system plays the day and time the current message was received. To listen to the previous message, press 4 while the answering system is playing the day and time the current message was received. Stop
5 Press to stop playback and recording. Play help menu * 5 Press to listen to a list of remote commands. Skip to next message
6 Press during playback to skip the current message and advance to the next message. Record a announcement
7 Press to record a new announcement. Begin speaking after the long beep. Turn system on or off 0 Press to turn the answering system on or off. Exit
8 or hang up Press to end remote access (the call is terminated). 1. 2. 3. 4.5
0 Answering system Remote access Hang up to end the call and save all messages.
NOTES: If you do not enter a valid remote access code, the system answers the call automatically. If the date and time is not set when a message is recorded, the system announces, "Time and date not set" before the answering system announces the number of messages. If there are no messages in the answering system, the system announces, "You have no message." If there are no new messages in the answering system, when you press 2 to play back new messages, the system announces, "You have no new message." If you pause for more than four seconds during remote access, you hear a help menu listing all features and commands. If there is no command for another 20 seconds, the call ends automatically. If the memory is full, the answering system answers after 10 rings and announces, "Memory is full. Enter the remote access code." Enter your remote access code to access the messages and announcements. When the answering system is turned off, the telephone answers after 10 rings and announces, "Please enter your remote access code."

Your machine is set to the announce mode, where it only plays an outgoing announcement without taking any incoming messages. You want to switch it to the record mode, where it will record incoming messages. Since you declined to specify the model of your VTech system, I can't tell you how to switch it. I can only direct you to enter the model number into the search box here to download a copy of the manual.

Your machine is set to "Announce" instead of "Answer" mode. The announce mode merely plays an outgoing message but does not record any incoming messages.

Since you neglected to specify the model of your VTech 5.8GHz cordless system I can only suggest you enter it into the search box here to download the manual to learn how to switch modes.

Recording a Personal Greeting
Your answering system comes with a pre-recorded outgoing message or greeting that plays when you receive a call: “Hello, no one is available to take your call. Please leave a message after the tone.”
You can record your own personal outgoing greeting. Your recorded greeting must be between two seconds and thirty seconds long.

1. Press /mute. The system announces the number of new and old messages, then starts to play themessages unless it has no messages.
2. Press 5 to stop the announcements or message playback. You will hear intermittent beeps indicating that thesystem is in the command waiting mode.
3. Press 8 to start the recording. The system announces, “Record greeting.” Begin recording after the announcement.
4. When you finish recording, press 8 again or press 5. You will hear a confirmation tone, and your recordedgreeting plays back for you.
   

Selecting a Greeting
Once you have recorded a personal greeting, the phone automatically switches to your personal greeting. You can also switch back and forth between the pre-recorded greeting and your own greeting at any time.

1. Press the Message icon (letter)/mute. The system announces the number of new and old messages, then starts to play the messages unless it has no messages.
2. Press 5 to stop the announcements or message playback. You will hear intermittent beeps indicating that the system is in the command waiting mode.
3. Press 6. The system plays the current greeting.

Recording a Personal Greeting
Your answering system comes with a pre-recorded outgoing message or greeting that plays when you receive a call: “Hello, no one is available to take your call. Please leave a message after the tone.”
You can record your own personal outgoing greeting. Your recorded greeting must be between two seconds and thirty seconds long.

1. Press /mute. The system announces the number of new and old messages, then starts to play themessages unless it has no messages.
2. Press 5 to stop the announcements or message playback. You will hear intermittent beeps indicating that thesystem is in the command waiting mode.
3. Press 8 to start the recording. The system announces, “Record greeting.” Begin recording after the announcement.
4. When you finish recording, press 8 again or press 5. You will hear a confirmation tone, and your recordedgreeting plays back for you.
   

Selecting a Greeting
Once you have recorded a personal greeting, the phone automatically switches to your personal greeting. You can also switch back and forth between the pre-recorded greeting and your own greeting at any time.

1. Press the /mute. The system announces the number of new and old messages, then starts to play the messages unless it has no messages.
2. Press 5 to stop the announcements or message playback. You will hear intermittent beeps indicating that the system is in the command waiting mode.
3. Press 6. The system plays the current greeting.

If mail box is full, you cannot record any more messages, and the answering machine is practically useless. You must clear some messages.
Try playing the messages one by one. While a message is being played hit the Erase button. If that works, repeat with every unimportant message.

Most cordless telephone answering machines have a maximum of 14 minutes recording time. You can restrict the length of messages people are allowed to leave. Most default options are 1min or 4 minutes. Some machines give you the option to select Announcement Only. When this option is selected people hear the announcement but cannot leave a message.

Read you manual for more configuration options.

Erase Messages
Single Messages
You can erase a message itself, leaving the Caller ID information.
• While the message is playing, press and release DELETE. The unit erases the current message and announces, "Message erased."0
All Messages
You can also erase all the old messages only, leaving the new messages and Caller ID information.
While the unit is in ready-to-answer mode, press and hold DELETE until the unit announces, "Messages erased."
• New messages can not be erased in this way. To erase new messages, play them then press DELETE during play back.


Here is a link for the manual for your phone:
http://www.home-electronics.net/ge/pc/IB/29897GE1_IB.pdf

Good luck!

Erase Messages
Single Messages
You can erase a message itself, leaving the Caller ID information.
• While the message is playing, press and release DELETE. The unit erases the current message and announces, "Message erased."
All Messages
You can also erase all the old messages only, leaving the new messages and Caller ID information.
While the unit is in ready-to-answer mode, press and hold DELETE until the unit announces, "Messages erased."
• New messages can not be erased in this way. To erase new messages, play them then press DELETE during play back.


Here is a link for the manual for your phone:
http://www.home-electronics.net/ge/pc/IB/29897GE1_IB.pdf

Good luck!

I had the same problem.
For some silly reason, there is an option of not leaving messages. You will see "AO" in the upper right-hand corner of the phone. This is for Announce Only.
To take it off:
Press/hold SET UP
Listen until you hear "Selected Announcement is A."
Press skip/repeat to save
(The other option is going to be the Announce Only which you don't want, so you can play around with the setting to make sure it's the right one.)

Call yourself to be sure you did it right.

You should now have numbers in the upper right-hand corner instead of AO.