A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a proactive scheduler having a controller element to determine a scheduling conflict between a called party and a calling party according to calendar information of the called party and presence information of the called party. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

A line connection apparatus is disclosed. To hold a line, on-hook is set to a first terminal of a first person who holds the line to output voice of a second person for whom the line is held from the first terminal. First identification of the first person is recorded by corresponding to second identification of the second person. To set a lock, when the disconnection of the line being held is recognized, a connection condition to lock the line is acquired from the first person, for the first terminal to receive a re-connection request from a same second person who disconnects the line in a hold state. To control a connection in response to the re-connection request by the same second person, the first terminal is controlled to receive the re-connection request based on the first identification corresponding to the second identification indicated by the re-connection request.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing access to a visual phone menu is disclosed. One of the methods includes receiving a call request transmitted from a calling device to initiate a call to a recipient; saving state information associated with the caller's navigation through a voice response system; providing an option for the caller to select between receiving a visual phone menu (VPM) or continuing to listen to the voice response system menu; receiving a selection of the option to receive the VPM; providing the VPM to a client device including providing state information associated with the caller's navigation through the voice response system prior to the selection; and using the state information when the caller navigates back in the response tree using the VPM.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing access to a visual phone menu is disclosed. One of the methods includes receiving a call request transmitted from a calling device to initiate a call to a recipient; saving state information associated with the caller's navigation through a voice response system; providing an option for the caller to select between receiving a visual phone menu (VPM) or continuing to listen to the voice response system menu; receiving a selection of the option to receive the VPM; providing the VPM to a client device including providing state information associated with the caller's navigation through the voice response system prior to the selection; and using the state information when the caller navigates back in the response tree using the VPM.

The present invention is related to telecommunications. A call processing system receives a first call from a caller intended for a first person. A notification regarding the first call is transmitted over a network to a terminal associated with the first person. A user interface is displayed on the terminal via which the first person can indicate that a callback message is to be transmitted to the caller. The callback message is transmitted to the caller, wherein the callback message includes an identification of the first person, a callback control, and text indicating that the caller is to activate the control to initiate another call to the first person. At least partly in response to the caller activating the control, A second call to be placed via which the first person and caller are connected.

The invention concerns a method for establishing a telecommunication connection between a calling subscriber (1) and a target subscriber (5), in which a calling terminal (R) of the calling subscriber (1) and a target terminal (Z) of the target subscriber (5) are assigned to a switching unit (100) and the calling subscriber (1) enters a callback request (CCBS-REQ, CCNR-REQ) in the switching unit (100) if the target terminal (Z) is busy or cannot be reached when a first call is made from the calling terminal (R) to the target terminal (Z), in which configuration data regarding the accessibility of the target subscriber (5) for a callback are entered into the switching unit (100). Then the time is set for the switching unit (100) to make the pending callback (RC) to the calling subscriber (1) in order to generate a second call to the target subscriber (5) by processing the configuration data concerning the accessibility of the target subscriber (5) for a callback, at a time when the target subscriber (5) is reachable for a callback. Next, the switching unit (100) makes the pending callback (RC) to the calling subscriber (1) at the set time.

The invention concerns a method for establishing a telecommunication connection between a calling subscriber (1) and a target subscriber (5), in which a calling terminal (R) of the calling subscriber (1) and a target terminal (Z) of the target subscriber (5) are assigned to a switching unit (100) and the calling subscriber (1) enters a callback request (CCBS-REQ, CCNR-REQ) in the switching unit (100) if the target terminal (Z) is busy or cannot be reached when a first call is made from the calling terminal (R) to the target terminal (Z), in which configuration data regarding the accessibility of the target subscriber (5) for a callback are entered into the switching unit (100). Then the time is set for the switching unit (100) to make the pending callback (RC) to the calling subscriber (1) in order to generate a second call to the target subscriber (5) by processing the configuration data concerning the accessibility of the target subscriber (5) for a callback, at a time when the target subscriber (5) is reachable for a callback. Next, the switching unit (100) makes the pending callback (RC) to the calling subscriber (1) at the set time.

Placing a call on hold provides advantages to the party initiating the hold. The party may engage in another call or perform another action and return to the call when convenient, provided the party placed on hold is still on the call. The party on hold monitors the inactive call and waits until the call is reactivated. The party on hold is provided with a means to alert the other party via a session initiation protocol (SIP) message formatted as a ring-ping message. The message is sent to the party who placed the call on hold and the user's device activates an indicator, such as to alert the holding party that the held party wishes to re-engage the call. If the holding party does not un-hold the call or otherwise acknowledge the ring-ping indicator, another action can be initiated, such as by inviting another party to join the call.

Placing a call on hold provides advantages to the party initiating the hold. The party may engage in another call or perform another action and return to the call when convenient, provided the party placed on hold is still on the call. The party on hold monitors the inactive call and waits until the call is reactivated. The party on hold is provided with a means to alert the other party via a session initiation protocol (SIP) message formatted as a ring-ping message. The message is sent to the party who placed the call on hold and the user's device activates an indicator, such as to alert the holding party that the held party wishes to re-engage the call. If the holding party does not un-hold the call or otherwise acknowledge the ring-ping indicator, another action can be initiated, such as by inviting another party to join the call.

Information associated with messages and/or missed calls is provided to a subscriber. Calls received but not answered by the subscriber may be monitored. Each monitored call is classified as one of a missed call and a message. The monitored calls may be summarized based on a customizable rule set to create a summary. The summary is provided to the subscriber via, for example, a voice notification.