Is it possible to obtain a phone #, solely to retrieve messages; not to use to call out etc?

I am leaving the country for a period of time. I want to be able to check messages from afar, and answer at will, without paying the rate of maintaining a normal phone line. I could call telephone Co., but would like to avoid people just trying to sell me something.

Local telco won't do it. Just sign up for a commercial v-mail service.

It is techniacally possible to have a voicemail box without a landline-it's called a DID (direct inward dial) mailbox. This type of mailbox has its own telephone number associated with it. However, regulated phone companies such as Qwest, SBC and Verizon won't sell it because it is against tariffs. You may be able to find a CLEC (Competetive Local Exchange Carrier) who can sell this type of service to you, but it is not a huge profit and most will probably require some sort of land line as well.

Why don't you try going for a private telephone company. You can get your messages, but the out going line is only for in town or in direct service area. As long as you pay your bill when it is due there should be no problem.

See if you can put your phone line on vacation service. Local companies allow you to put your service on a hold until you return and the cost is 1/2 or less of your local service charge as well as allowing you to keep the number. I'm not sure if it will leave your voice mail service up during that period. The other option would be to continue to leave the service in place and have a voicemail service you can call and retreive messages from anywhere. There are routing options available to business customers that arent to residential as well.