Voice mail system with multi-retrieval mailboxes

A voice mail messaging system comprising:

• a message storage device including a voice mail mailbox storing a plurality of messages and a pointer indicating a message in the voice mail mailbox;
• a user interface, coupled to the message storage device, playing voice mail messages from the message storage device and prompts to users and receiving inputs from users;
• a memory, storing program instructions and data;
• and
• a controller, coupled to the user interface, the message storage device and the memory, executing program instructions from the memory to perform the steps of:
• setting the pointer to point to a first message in the voice mail mailbox;
• playing the first message to a first user, responsive to a command from the first user;
• updating the pointer to point to a second message in the voice mail mailbox;
• and
• playing at least a portion of the second message to the second user, while the first message is being played to the first user, responsive to a command from the second user.

A voice mail messaging system comprising:

• a voice mail mailbox including a plurality of voice mail messages and a pointer indicating a first message;
• a first message playback device, playing the first message to the first user, responsive to a command from the first user;
• a pointer update device, updating the pointer to point to a second message in the voice mail mailbox;
• and
• a second message playback device, playing at least a portion of the second message to the second user, while the first message is being played to the first user, responsive to a command from the second user.