Abstract: Telephone answering and message recording apparatus is disclosed which includes an outgoing message delivery system for delivering several messages to each caller, the messages to each caller being separated in time by intervening incoming message recording intervals, and the length of the intervening message recording intervals being determined by voice-operated circuits which determine, for each such interval, whether (a) the caller has started speaking, and whether (b) after commencing to speak, the caller has paused for more than a predetermined interval. After (a) and (b) have occurred, a circuit responsive to the voice-operated circuits initiates circuit action to commence the transmission of the next outgoing message to the caller. The disclosed apparatus includes circuitry for restoring the apparatus to its "awaiting call" condition if the caller remains silent for a predetermined interval after any outgoing message. Preferably, no non-speech signals (e.g.