maybe there is a section on this / other post and I missed it, if so a link would be appreciated 
What do people use for voicemail instead of Google Voice and the like?
Our country never got into using voicemail or answering machines… IIRC Answering machines/Voicemail are a US only thing? I always see US shows replaying messages in the answering machine and only in US shows. I don’t see them in shows outside Hollywood.
Voicemail is not a US only thing. Missed calls on smartphones go to a voicemail service hosted by the network provider in lots of countries.
Answering machines are landline only and are a relic of the '90s… Aren’t they?
IOS has live voicemail which is done completely locally on the device. This seems like it would be the best option as long as you’re okay with either missing or letting messages go to your carrier if your phone is off/no reception.
I’ve been on the lookout and have yet to see an equivalent for Android. AFAIK it is not even possible to create an app for Android with this capability, unsure if it is possible with root, and haven’t seen any custom roms that have tried this.
Personally I just use the AOSP dialer app to view my voicemail.
Nobody in your country leaves a message when they call? answering machines are mostly outdated but I had never realized some countries forgoe voicemail altogether.
Wouldn’t that mean you are just using your providers voicemail? I use Google Voice, so not any better, but I would probably just stick with it if all the options are bad.
I am really suprised how limited voicemail options seem to be.
Its not the norm.
I dont really understand why to this day. I guess the expectation is to answer all calls and dont answer the ones you dont like to hear from and pretend/lie that you were busy/unavailble at the time.
Wouldn’t that mean you are just using your providers voice mail?
Yes it would mean I’m just using my provider’s voice mail. However there are very few alternatives and voicemail is a fairly low priority thing for me; so I’m fine with it the way it is.
yeah this is becoming very clear to me now lol 
I’m happy with JMP.chat’s handling of voicemail. JMP gets mentioned around here from time to time so I think others must use it as well. It is a VOIP service which offers somewhat more private calling and voicemail than mainstream carriers such as ATT. However, it is not at all as private, of course, as the encrypted messaging services recommended here.
You set up an XMPP (Jabber) account (such as with Snikket) and your voicemails appear as audio files in your XMPP app (Gajim, Dino on Linux, Cheogram on GOS, DivestOS) and in an easily located corresponding directory on your phone or computer where they are stored.
Of note, JMP has an arrangement with Snikket such that users can “set up their very own Snikket instance all from within the app.”
edit: added comment about VOIP, ATT, encrypted services.