Abstract: The present invention provides a distributed architecture that includes multiple voice processing unit each designated as a home unit for a subscriber's messages. An incoming call is preferentially switched to the home VPU by a digital switching system under the control of a master control unit. If a master control unit determines that all lines to the home unit are busy or the home unit is otherwise unavailable, the master unit causes the digital system to switch the call to another or remote voice processing unit. The remote unit then handles the call by either locally storing a message or retrieving a message from the home unit storage over an internal message bus.