[asterisk-users] Blank Voicemails

[Leah Newmark]

Hi, we're running Asterisk 1.2.10 and have been randomly being left
blank voicemails with long messages that we can't hear.

I've searched and searched but cannot find a solution.

This is what happens:
Internal Server runs Asterisk 1.2.10 where our mailboxes are
Incoming Server (behind a firewall) runs Asterisk 1.2.13 and calls are
bridged between this server and our internal server.

I have not heard any complaints from users on the .13 server, but it's
happening too frequently to call a fluke on the .10 server.
Caller gets voicemail, leaves a message, hangs up. Voicemail message is
emailed to user saying the correct length (0:32, 1:12, etc.), tries to
play it and player says 0 seconds long. Tries to access via phone, and
the message again is blank, even though the text file specifies correct
length.
Voicemail is being saved in .WAV (wav49).

I tried adding in
[options]
transmit_silence_during_record = yes
into asterisk.conf and it seemed to help for a bit, but then we started
getting the odd behavior again.

Here is a capture of a failed message:
//DIDN'T WORK
Jul  6 11:57:07 DEBUG[9601] app.c: Locked path
'/var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/default/116/INBOX'
Jul  6 11:57:07 DEBUG[9601] app.c: Unlocked path
'/var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/default/116/INBOX'
Jul  6 11:57:07 DEBUG[9601] app.c: play_and_record: <None>,
/var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/default/116/tmp/IVnRHt, 'wav49'
Jul  6 11:57:55 DEBUG[9601] app.c: Locked path
'/var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/default/116/INBOX'
Jul  6 11:57:55 DEBUG[9601] app.c: Unlocked path
'/var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/default/116/INBOX'
Jul  6 11:57:55 DEBUG[9601] app_voicemail.c: Attaching file
'/var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/default/116/INBOX/msg0000', format 'WAV',
uservm is '2048', global is 2048
Jul  6 11:57:55 DEBUG[9601] app_voicemail.c: Sent mail to
username at mydomain.com with command '/usr/sbin/sendmail -t'

//THIS WORKED/WORKED
Jul  6 12:11:24 DEBUG[10184] app.c: Locked path
'/var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/default/116/INBOX'
Jul  6 12:11:24 DEBUG[10184] app.c: Unlocked path
'/var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/default/116/INBOX'
Jul  6 12:11:24 DEBUG[10184] app.c: play_and_record: <None>,
/var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/default/116/tmp/rGc1XJ, 'wav49'
Jul  6 12:11:51 DEBUG[10184] app.c: Locked path
'/var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/default/116/INBOX'
Jul  6 12:11:51 DEBUG[10184] app.c: Unlocked path
'/var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/default/116/INBOX'
Jul  6 12:11:51 DEBUG[10184] app_voicemail.c: Attaching file
'/var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/default/116/INBOX/msg0000', format 'WAV',
uservm is '2048', global is 2048
Jul  6 12:11:51 DEBUG[10184] app_voicemail.c: Sent mail to
username at mydomain.com with command '/usr/sbin/sendmail -t'

They look identical! Same mailbox, same debug output, different behavior.

I was noticing a pattern of certain callers (which made me turn on the
record silence option), but my users tell me it's not only those
callers, and sometimes those callers do successfully leave messages; I
only hear when it doesn't work.

What can I do?! I'm stumped, and the situation is intolerable.

Thanks!

Leah Newmark
Capalon VoIP