Voice message delivery system and method

A hosted system receives a request for the delivery of a voice message from a collective such as a school district. The hosted system determines whether the message should be sent over a telephone line at the hosted system or the school district. Instructions are sent to a delivery mechanism at the determined location indicating how to prepare the message and the number to be called. In one embodiment, the instructions are in XML script form to reduce the bandwidth required. Having the hosted system determine the allocation of messages allows for both the efficient use and lower calling cost of any available capacity on telephone lines at a school district or other collective organization, as well as the larger capacity access to telephone lines of a hosted service for quick delivery of numerous or urgent messages.