Voice Lists are a system for asynchronous group communications over the telephone.

How it Works:
A user calls a telephone number, which prompts them to say the name of the group to which they belong. Using voice recognition, the system asks the user to confirm the name of the group. If the voice recognition was correct, the system takes the user to the group, and announces the number of new messages available. It reminds them of the interface for using the system, and begins playing the messages that the user has not yet heard. A user can respond to an individual message sender, or to the group, just like a traditional online-forum.

This mechanism may prove useful for discussing a wide variety of topics in non-literate rural areas, where it is difficult to meet in large groups. Advertising could be used to support this service, as could small charges to users for special premium services.