1. A telecommunications system comprising: a first local area network (“LAN”); a second LAN; a wide area network (“WAN”) coupled to the first and the second LANs, wherein the first LAN, the second LAN, and the WAN operate under a network protocol; a voice mail system within the second LAN, the voice mail system comprising a voice mail box for storing a voice message; and a telephone within the first LAN, the telephone comprising a sensory indication of the existence of the voice message stored in the voice mail box of the voice mail system within the second LAN.