Implementations are directed to using an assistant to initiate automated telephone calls with entities. Some implementations identify an item of interest, identify a group of entities associated with the item, and initiate the calls with the entities. During a given call with a given entity, the assistant can request a status update regarding the item, and determine a temporal delay before initiating another call with the given entity to request a further status update regarding the item based on information received responsive to the request. Other implementations receive a request to perform an action on behalf of a user, identify a group of entities that can perform the action, and initiate a given call with a given entity. During the given call, the assistant can initiate an additional call with an additional entity, and generate notification(s), for the user, based on result(s) of the given call and/or the additional call.

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media for intelligent routing of notifications of incoming voice communication requests. A device, such as a smartphone, may receive an incoming voice communication request, such as a cellular voice call. The smartphone may then identify devices connected to it, such as headsets, tablets, etc., and request each device activate a microphone or camera to attempt to locate the user with respect to the connected devices. The smartphone may then select one of the connected devices, or itself, as the device best able to notify the user of the incoming call based on captured audio, images, or video. The smartphone may then request the selected device output a notification, such as a ring tone, to notify the user of the incoming call. Such a technique may avoid inundating the user with simultaneous call notifications from multiple devices.

This disclosure provides systems, methods and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media for intelligent routing of notifications of incoming voice communication requests. A device, such as a smartphone, may receive an incoming voice communication request, such as a cellular voice call. The smartphone may then identify devices connected to it, such as headsets, tablets, etc., and request each device activate a microphone or camera to attempt to locate the user with respect to the connected devices. The smartphone may then select one of the connected devices, or itself, as the device best able to notify the user of the incoming call based on captured audio, images, or video. The smartphone may then request the selected device output a notification, such as a ring tone, to notify the user of the incoming call. Such a technique may avoid inundating the user with simultaneous call notifications from multiple devices.

Disclosed in some examples are methods, systems, and machine-readable mediums that assign a same identifier to a plurality of a user's communication devices. A communication server alerts only one device of the plurality of communication devices at a time in response to a communication establishment request from a calling communication device directed to the identifier. If the user fails to answer the alert, another device is chosen and alerted according to a particular sequence of devices until the user either answers or until all devices (or a determined subset of devices) have been tried. In some examples, the communication devices are reachable by the communication service via an alternative address known to the communication server, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

Disclosed in some examples are methods, systems, and machine-readable mediums that assign a same identifier to a plurality of a user's communication devices. A communication server alerts only one device of the plurality of communication devices at a time in response to a communication establishment request from a calling communication device directed to the identifier. If the user fails to answer the alert, another device is chosen and alerted according to a particular sequence of devices until the user either answers or until all devices (or a determined subset of devices) have been tried. In some examples, the communication devices are reachable by the communication service via an alternative address known to the communication server, such as an Internet Protocol (IP) address.

A system and method of providing caller identification (ID) over a public switched telephone network (PSTN). For outbound calls, the system and method enable a caller to provide a caller ID that differs from the native caller ID of their mobile phone. The system and method enable multiple phones tied to a single account to display the same caller ID for outbound calls. For forwarded inbound calls, such as calls being forwarded from an office, the system and method inform the recipient of the identification of the call as well as that the call is being forwarded. The system and method enable the recipient to have calls forwarded from more than one number and identify the identity of the caller as well as the specific number the call is being forwarded from.

A system and method for dispatching messages from a user to at least one recipient over a telecommunications network is disclosed. The system includes a messaging system and an authentication system. The messaging system receives user messages, retrieves contact information for recipients on a user's contact list, and attempts to deliver messages to recipients on the list. The system may continue attempting to deliver messages to recipients until it finds a recipient who is available to receive the message. The authentication system is used to ensure the recipient is a person and not a machine. The messages could be audio messages delivered using a telephone network or messages delivered over an SMS network.

Implementations are directed to using an assistant to initiate automated telephone calls with entities. Some implementations identify an item of interest, identify a group of entities associated with the item, and initiate the calls with the entities. During a given call with a given entity, the assistant can request a status update regarding the item, and determine a temporal delay before initiating another call with the given entity to request a further status update regarding the item based on information received responsive to the request. Other implementations receive a request to perform an action on behalf of a user, identify a group of entities that can perform the action, and initiate a given call with a given entity. During the given call, the assistant can initiate an additional call with an additional entity, and generate notification(s), for the user, based on result(s) of the given call and/or the additional call.

Implementations are directed to using an assistant to initiate automated telephone calls with entities. Some implementations identify an item of interest, identify a group of entities associated with the item, and initiate the calls with the entities. During a given call with a given entity, the assistant can request a status update regarding the item, and determine a temporal delay before initiating another call with the given entity to request a further status update regarding the item based on information received responsive to the request. Other implementations receive a request to perform an action on behalf of a user, identify a group of entities that can perform the action, and initiate a given call with a given entity. During the given call, the assistant can initiate an additional call with an additional entity, and generate notification(s), for the user, based on result(s) of the given call and/or the additional call.

Calls for large call queues are handled by a system that assigns agents of a call queue to one of a first group or a second group. A size of the first group or the second group is based on a number of agents in the call queue that are online. The system batch rings each agent of the first group when an incoming call is received. If the incoming call is unanswered by the first group, the system batch rings each agent of the second group.