YouMail expanded its offerings to include voice mail transcription. The opt-in transcription service provides YouMail customers with human-transcribed voice mail or automated transcriptions via SMS or e-mail.

Pricing options range from $3.99 a month for 50 transcribed messages to an unlimited package for $17.99, with the transcription delivered as an e-mail to smartphones. Other plans are $6.99 and $9.99.

Quilici

Two carriers are offering YouMail voice mail instead of regular voice mail that you might find at larger carriers. IMMIX Wireless in Pennsylvania and iSmart Mobile in Montana see it as a way to differentiate their voice-mail offering, according to YouMail CEO Alex Quilici.

YouMail offers other voice mail services that allow callers to be greeted by name, as well as a “ditch mail” service that can be used to filter out voice mails; the latter plays a greeting and essentially hangs up on unwanted callers. The most popular ditch mail greeting is a recording saying the number dialed is no longer in service. It’s useful for discouraging telemarketers, although some people also find it comes in handy to dodge ex-boyfriends or ex-girlfriends as well, he said.

YouMail’s service works with AT&T, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile USA, but Sprint customers need to call customer service to make it happen, he said.

In addition to the opt-in transcription services, YouMail offers a Read-It Free plan at no charge, which is automated transcription of voicemails from a pre-determined contact, like a significant other, or a limited number of messages in a given month.

YouMail also has partnered with the creators of the original Crazy Calls answering machine messages to provide users with another way to customize their mobile voice mail greetings. Several hundred premium greetings will be available for purchase by YouMail users for $1.99/greeting.