A method for identifying communicators as wanted or unwanted based on messages from such communicators comprising receiving, by the data processing system, an inbound message from a communicator, comparing, by the data processing system, the inbound message to fingerprints stored in a database accessible to the data processing system, determining, by the data processing system, at least one match to the fingerprints, determining, by the data processing system, an identity of the communicator by determining whether and how likely the communicator is wanted or unwanted based on the at least one match to the fingerprints, and configuring, by the data processing system, handling of calls from the communicator based on the identity.

A system for automatic authentication of service requests includes authentication of a remote access device. This authentication may be accomplished automatically prior to text or audio communication between a customer and a service agent. In some embodiments, authentication is accomplished automatically by authentication of the remote access device or accomplished by asking the customer questions. A single authentication of the remote access device may be used to authenticate a service request transferred between service agents. The authentication of the remote device may include, for example, use of a personal identification number, a fingerprint, a photograph, and/or a hardware identifier. Some embodiments include an intelligent pipeline configured for managing queues of customer service requests and/or customer service agent control over a customer's access device. Some embodiments include logic configured to manage and enhance communication channels between devices.

Systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring communications between inmates at controlled facilities. In an embodiment request is first received to initiate a call involving an inmate at a controlled facility. The identity of the inmate may then be authenticated, and the call may be connected to an outside third party upon successful authentication. A tone encoded with source information of the call may be generated and intermittently transmitted while the call is active. The inmate's received call data may then be monitored to detect a second tone. Source information encoded within the second tone may be extracted and compared with call data stored in a call database to determine whether the extracted source information corresponds to a second inmate at a controlled facility. Finally, an alert may be sent to relevant parties when it is determined that the extracted source information corresponds to the second inmate.

A system, method, and computer readable medium for providing additional information to called parties comprises receiving a call from a calling party, performing a lookup of information associated with the calling party in a database, receiving the information from the database, and forwarding the information to a called party. The system comprises at least one device for receiving a call from a calling party, and at least one database for storing information associated with the calling party, wherein the at least one device is operable to perform a lookup of information associated with the calling party in a database, receive the information from the database, and forward the information to a called party.

A method has steps for receiving at a call center implemented in a network, a first call from a caller using a first telephony-enabled device, connecting the received first call to an agent in the call center, creating and storing in a data repository at the call center a live call record associating an identity of the caller or a device of the caller with the agent to whom the first call is connected, receiving, while the first call is active, a second call from the same caller using a second telephony-enabled device, querying the data repository and discovering the live call record, routing the second call to the same agent to whom the first call is routed, and terminating the first call, but leaving the live call record in place.

A voicemail receptionist system includes a memory and a processor. The memory can store data relating to one or more users. An incoming communication can be handled by the voicemail receptionist system and provided with functionality based upon a user's preferences, for example. The data stored by the voicemail receptionist system can be updated at any time, or automatically updated upon updating of the data, or upon occurrence of a trigger event. Voicemail receptionist functionality can include standard voicemail system functionality as well as functionality relating to email, text messaging, MMS messaging, calendar features, schedule announcements, location data, as well as other features.

A method, system, and relevant apparatuses for selecting a Multimedia Ring Back Tone (MRBT) are disclosed. The method for selecting an MRBT includes: receiving a call request sent by a calling party, where the call request carries an MRBT type required by the calling party; sending the MRBT type required by the calling party to the MRBT server; obtaining MRBT information sent by an MRBT server, according to the MRBT type required by the calling party; and sending the MRBT information to the calling party. With the present invention, the calling party sends the required MRBT type, and the MRBT server provides the corresponding MRBT information for the calling party. Therefore, the calling party has an opportunity of selecting the MRBT type required by the calling party, and thus user experience is improved.

This application discloses a method, an apparatus, and a portable electronic device. The method includes: detecting an incoming phone call; automatically answering the phone call; determining that in at least one pre-stored event, there is an event matching a telephone number of the phone call, where the event includes: at least one of content of the event, a starting time of the event, or a location of the event, contact information of a participant, and permission of the participant; and the contact information of participant includes a telephone number; obtaining and parsing audio content of the phone call; and automatically answering the telephone call according to the audio content and permission that corresponds to the telephone number of the phone call. The method provided in this application has an advantage of effective privacy protection.

A method and apparatus of applying user profile information to a customized application are disclosed. One example method of operation may include receiving an inquiry from a user device at a customer call center server and identifying and authorizing the user from the received inquiry. The method may also provide retrieving a user profile from memory that includes history information based on previous interactions between the user device and the customer call center server and calculating a prediction as to a purpose for the inquiry. The prediction may be based on user profile history, social networking profile information, recent transactions, etc. The method may also provide transmitting a response to the inquiry based on the calculated prediction.

Embodiments include a system, method, and computer program product that authenticates a caller using calling party information. In an embodiment, an authentication device receives the call request and associated calling party information that includes a calling party number. The authentication device retrieves parameters associated with the calling party number, where a retrieved parameter is a number of accounts linked to the calling party number. The authentication device determines whether the number of accounts is between one and a threshold value, inclusive, and verifies that the call request originates from a location or a device associated with the calling party number. Based on the verifying and determining, the authentication device generates an authentication result that indicates whether the calling party number is authenticated. Then, the authentication device sends the authentication result to a call processing device that processes the call request from the caller according to the authentication result.