Patent ID: 8369840

Claim:
A method for managing visual voicemail messages, comprising: receiving user commands for operating on visual voicemail messages including a delete message command; in response to the delete message command, marking a voicemail message for deletion with a delete timestamp and moving the voicemail message to a deleted messages folder, the delete timestamp indicative of a time the voicemail message was placed in the deleted messages folder; and initiating a synchronization operation with a visual voicemail platform comprising: processing the voicemail message in the deleted messages folder using a deleted message age indicator function to monitor an age of the voicemail message and to synchronize permanent deletion of the voicemail message in the deleted messages folder and at the visual voicemail platform based on the delete timestamp and a global delete time value associated with the visual voicemail platform and controlled by the visual voicemail platform, wherein the deleted message age indicator function permanently deletes the voicemail message in response to a determination that the age of the voicemail message has reached the global delete time value and wherein the deleted message age indicator function shares the delete timestamp with the visual voicemail platform and wherein a telecommunications handset shortens the global delete time value.