A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and apparatus for providing a communications service in a communications network are disclosed. For example, the method monitors a conference call, detects a triggering event during the conference call registered for a particular user, wherein the particular user is not a participant in the conference call, and notifies the particular user of the triggering event.

A method and system are provided for forwarding telephone calls, facsimile transmissions and electronic messages to a single forwarding telephone number. The telephone calls, fax transmissions and electronic messages are first forwarded to a central forwarding repository by the forwarding party where the fax transmissions, and messages are converted to audio formats. Forwarded telephone calls and audio formatted versions of the fax transmissions and electronic messages are then forwarded directly to a designated forwarding number. If the forwarding party answers at the forwarding number, she will receive forwarded calls, and the audio formatted versions of fax transmissions and electronic messages will be played to her over her telephone. If the forwarding party does not answer the forwarded call, she subsequently may retrieve saved telephone calls, saved telephone messages and saved audio versions of fax transmissions and electronic messages from the central forwarding repository.

The present invention includes systems, methods, circuits and associated software for managing communications from a mobile device to other parties and retrieving and managing data stored on the mobile device and associated with the communications to other parties. The systems and methods of the present invention may further allow a calling party to make a called party to be aware of its intention to establish a call/communication session with it in one or more ways. According to the present invention a calling party may be automatically or manually offered alternatives to voice or other communication session. Further, many communication alternatives and other data for a party may be stored and organized in a local memory of a device and may be updated based on data retrieved from exterior sources, possibly from third party data storages accessed over a distributed data network, such as the internet.

An intelligent backoffice and handheld/mobile distributed computing network includes varying, multi-modes of contact, and parallel operational capabilities for use in completing remotely initiated hospitality tasks in the hospitality market. The network includes synchronized servers, hospitality software applications linked with the servers and with handheld/mobile compatible versions available to be remotely accessed for use by handheld/mobile equipped users and including two or more different handheld/mobile computers with their respective and different mobile operating systems, and a master database. Middleware/Framework Communications Control Software (MFCCS) links these components to intelligently execute and support completion of the hospitality application task requests.

An activation device includes a wireless communication interface, an activation circuitry, and a trigger device. The wireless communication interface is configured to communicate with a mobile phone in a personal area network. The activation circuitry is configured to generate a signal for activating the mobile phone. The trigger device is configured to receive an input from a user. When the trigger device receives the input from the user, the activation circuitry is caused to generate the signal, and the wireless communication interface is configured to send the signal to the mobile phone, causing the mobile phone to pass the call request to a call service, which is in turn caused to generate a call, calling the mobile phone.