The invention is a telephone answering device that permits the number of rings before the call is answered, and the speaker volume to be programmed to vary depending on the time of day and day of the week, or to be set at desired levels for spceific lengths of time. The device contains a timer (19) and a microcomputer (10), said microcomputer (10) having a programmable ring register (23) and a programmable speaker register (24). A program ring button (25), a program speaker button (26), a time ring button (27), a time speaker button (28), a plus button (29), and a minus button (30) located on a control module (14) enable the user to access programmable ring register (23) and programmable speaker register (24), to set the number of rings before answering and the speaker volume. Incoming telephone calls are handled by a ring detector circuit (13) and microcomputer (10). When the number of cumulative ring signals matches the appropriate programmed setting, the incoming call is sent to an answering apparatus (18). Microcomputer (10) then sets the volume of a speaker (16) to the appropriate programmed setting, via a volume control circuit (17).