A conference service number system enables the reconfiguration of an existing telephone number as a service number usable for selectively routing calls to each of a client endpoint and a dedicated conference software instance. A conferencing system implements separate conferencing software instances for individual operators for whom unique telephone numbers, are assigned. A telephony system facilitates calls to and from telephone numbers and implements a menu system (e.g. an interactive voice response (IVR) menu) for presenting a caller with options to either route a call to a specific telephone number to the subject operator (e.g., to a client device of that operator) or to a conferencing software instance implemented specifically for that operator. The call is accordingly routed to either a device of the operator or to the conferencing software instance based on the selection by the caller.

A communication directed to a recipient is stored in a message box of the recipient. A forwardee is identified based on an analysis of the communication. A request is received to transmit the communication to the forwardee. The communication is forwarded to a message box of the forwardee.

In a call forwarding system, a management apparatus of the call forwarding system determines service terminals capable of near field wireless communication within a reception range of near field wireless communication, generates a terminal list, and receives a call event message reporting the receipt of a call from a reference terminal. The management apparatus may transmit a call report message including the terminal list to the reference terminal and the service terminals. The management apparatus may forward the call initially received by the reference terminal to a terminal which transmitted a receipt request message by transmitting a call forwarding request message to the reference terminal. The management apparatus may transmit, to the reference terminal and the service terminals, a receipt report message reporting the call was forwarded. According to a change receipt message or upon non-receipt by an intended terminal, the call may be reforwarded to another terminal.

Provided herein is a holistic fraud cocoon that protects a user from incoming or outgoing fraud and phishing communications by capturing, analyzing and either altering, discarding or presenting communications to the user. For example, the holistic fraud cocoon captures all incoming sources (mail, in-person visits, phone, TV, radio, newspapers and internet) and the actions performed by the user, triggered by those sources. Certain actions are held in a queue to be reviewed, validated and acted upon by a third party before the actions are executed.

Apparatus and methods concerning call routing are disclosed. In an example embodiment, a call alert message, indicative of the call answer options, is communicated from a data-communications server to the communication device, determined in response to receiving an incoming call for a communication device at the server. A selected option is received from the communication device. In response to the selected option indicating the first call answer option, the call is routed to the communication device as a call via a data network or in response to the selected option indicating the second call answer option, the call is routed to the communication device via a PSTN.

A method for redirecting a communication request sent by a caller terminal to a called terminal, an identifier of the caller terminal being absent from a list of identifiers of caller terminals for which the establishment of a communication with the called terminal is authorized or blocked, referred to as a white list or black list, respectively. The method includes: redirecting the communication request to a redirection terminal associated with the called terminal, distinct from the called terminal; receiving an instruction message, including the identifier of the caller terminal and an instruction relating to the white list or to the black list, depending on the instruction received, adding the identifier of the caller terminal to the white list or to the black list.

A conference service number system enables the reconfiguration of an existing telephone number as a service number usable for selectively routing calls to each of a client endpoint and a dedicated conference software instance. A conferencing system implements separate conferencing software instances for individual operators for whom unique telephone numbers, are assigned. A telephony system facilitates calls to and from telephone numbers and implements a menu system (e.g. an interactive voice response (IVR) menu) for presenting a caller with options to either route a call to a specific telephone number to the subject operator (e.g., to a client device of that operator) or to a conferencing software instance implemented specifically for that operator. The call is accordingly routed to either a device of the operator or to the conferencing software instance based on the selection by the caller.

A method and a call routing system (CRS) are provided for routing an incoming call made to one of multiple numbers of a user to a call receiving client application (CRCA) deployed on one or more user devices when the called number is not reachable. The CRS, in communication with the CRCA deployed on one or more user devices, sets up a user account using one or more of the user's multiple numbers. The CRS detects availability of the CRCA on one or more user devices over a data network to accept an incoming call. The CRS receives the incoming call made to one of the numbers, when the called number is not reachable. The CRS routes the incoming call to the CRCA on one or more user devices over the data network on detecting the availability of the CRCA on one or more user devices over the data network.

A wireless telecommunications system provides location-specific call forwarding. The system can receive a request to connect a voice call to the wireless device, which can invoke a call forwarding procedure depending on a status of a subscriber associated with the wireless device. When the system determines that a current location of the wireless device is different from a default location, location-specific call forwarding information is used to forward the voice call to a terminating node associated with the location-specific forwarding information rather than a default terminating node for the default location. The terminating node can include a voicemail server that plays back a location-specific voicemail greeting to the caller.

Methods, systems, and products provide remote notification of calls. When a call is received, a contact list is consulted for a contact. An electronic message is sent to an address of the contact. The electronic message notifies the contact of the call.