diff --git a/core/res/res/values/config.xml b/core/res/res/values/config.xml
index f909695610119..084f1a5f79deb 100644
--- a/core/res/res/values/config.xml
+++ b/core/res/res/values/config.xml
@@ -2194,21 +2194,6 @@
         <item>SUPL_MODE=1</item>
     </string-array>
 
-    <!-- If there is no preload VM number in the sim card, carriers such as
-         Verizon require to load a default vm number from the configurantion.
-         Define config_default_vm_number for this purpose. And there are two
-         optional formats for this configuration as below:
-         (1)<item>voicemail number</item>
-         (2)<item>voicemail number;gid</item>
-         The logic to pick up the correct voicemail number:
-         (1) If the config_default_vm_number array has no gid special item, the last one will be
-         picked
-         (2) If the config_default_vm_number array has gid special item and  it matches the current
-         sim's gid, it will be picked.
-         (3) If the config_default_vm_number array has gid special item but it doesn't match the
-         current sim's gid, the last one without gid will be picked -->
-    <string-array translatable="false" name="config_default_vm_number" />
-
     <!-- Sprint need a 70 ms delay for 3way call -->
     <integer name="config_cdma_3waycall_flash_delay">0</integer>
 
diff --git a/core/res/res/values/symbols.xml b/core/res/res/values/symbols.xml
index a51b29caa79c6..87b262f4d68c6 100644
--- a/core/res/res/values/symbols.xml
+++ b/core/res/res/values/symbols.xml
@@ -2233,7 +2233,6 @@
   <java-symbol type="bool" name="config_auto_attach_data_on_creation" />
   <java-symbol type="attr" name="closeItemLayout" />
   <java-symbol type="layout" name="resolver_different_item_header" />
-  <java-symbol type="array" name="config_default_vm_number" />
   <java-symbol type="integer" name="config_cdma_3waycall_flash_delay"/>
   <java-symbol type="array" name="config_default_vm_number" />
   <java-symbol type="attr" name="windowBackgroundFallback" />
diff --git a/telephony/java/android/telephony/CarrierConfigManager.java b/telephony/java/android/telephony/CarrierConfigManager.java
index 17f0da0c0b11c..d064cd9c79de7 100644
--- a/telephony/java/android/telephony/CarrierConfigManager.java
+++ b/telephony/java/android/telephony/CarrierConfigManager.java
@@ -261,6 +261,15 @@ public class CarrierConfigManager {
      */
     public static final String KEY_CARRIER_VT_AVAILABLE_BOOL = "carrier_vt_available_bool";
 
+    /**
+     * Where there is no preloaded voicemail number on a SIM card, specifies the carrier's default
+     * voicemail number.
+     * When empty string, no default voicemail number is specified.
+     * @hide
+     */
+    public static final String KEY_DEFAULT_VM_NUMBER_STRING = "default_vm_number_string";
+
+
     /**
      * Flag specifying whether WFC over IMS should be available for carrier: independent of
      * carrier provisioning. If false: hard disabled. If true: then depends on carrier
@@ -768,6 +777,7 @@ public class CarrierConfigManager {
         sDefaults.putBoolean(KEY_CARRIER_SETTINGS_ENABLE_BOOL, false);
         sDefaults.putBoolean(KEY_CARRIER_VOLTE_AVAILABLE_BOOL, false);
         sDefaults.putBoolean(KEY_CARRIER_VT_AVAILABLE_BOOL, false);
+        sDefaults.putString(KEY_DEFAULT_VM_NUMBER_STRING, "");
         sDefaults.putBoolean(KEY_CARRIER_WFC_IMS_AVAILABLE_BOOL, false);
         sDefaults.putBoolean(KEY_CARRIER_WFC_SUPPORTS_WIFI_ONLY_BOOL, false);
         sDefaults.putBoolean(KEY_CARRIER_DEFAULT_WFC_IMS_ENABLED_BOOL, false);