Methods and systems are disclosed for managing the communications and information resources of a user. Identity information relating to the user is received. The user's preference for withholding an incoming communication is obtained. An entry is created in a message log for the withheld communication. The user is not notified of receipt of the withheld communication, yet receipt of the withheld communication is logged in the message log.

A controlled-environment facility communications management system, and/or the like, receives an indication of an electronic communication request with a telephone number initiated by, or to, a resident of a controlled environment facility. The controlled-environment facility communications management system, and/or the like, accesses a line information database and determines, based on the contents of the line information database, whether the telephone number is an Internet Protocol (IP) telephone number. The controlled-environment facility communications management system, and/or the like, takes action with respect to the electronic communication in response to identification of the telephone number as an IP telephone number.

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device having a controller to retrieve from an address book a communication identifier for each of a plurality of participants, determine from the address book a conferencing type for each of the plurality of participants, and initiate according to the conference type and the communication identifier of each participant a Voice over Internet Protocol conference call directed to communication devices of the plurality of participants. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Rerouting apparatus for rerouting data including multimedia data. The apparatus is for association with electronic equipment and allows for routing the data to a device regarded as the most convenient for playing the media. The apparatus comprises an announcer device for indicating to surrounding equipment that associated equipment is available for rerouting, thereby to enable receipt of rerouted communications therefrom, and a scout device for scanning surroundings of the associated equipment to find out about compatible equipment in the vicinity, thereby to reroute communications thereto. The apparatus may be attached to any device having data processing capability, to enable rerouting of data and communications therebetween.

When an application server receives an invite message associated with a call from an originating user equipment (UE) to a terminating UE, the application server can determine if one of the originating UE or the terminating UE is associated with a scammer. If the originating UE is associated with a scammer, the application server can remove the scammer's caller identification (ID) information from the invite message, such that a user of the terminating UE cannot use that caller ID information to make a return call to the scammer. If the terminating UE is associated with a scammer, the application server can remove caller ID information associated with the originating UE from the invite message to hide the calling party's information from the scammer, and/or invoke playback of a scam announcement to the originating UE to warn the calling party that they are calling a scammer.

First information is captured based on monitoring interactions between a user of a communication device and multiple entities. Second information is determined based on monitoring a schedule including upcoming scheduled activities. An incoming call indication and at least a calling phone number related to an incoming call for the communication device are received. Contextual information related to at least the calling phone number and a relevance factor indicating a level of relevance of the incoming call are determined based on the first information and the second information. An indication of the incoming call, the contextual information, and the relevance factor are provided on the communication device.

Rerouting apparatus for rerouting data including multimedia data. The apparatus is for association with electronic equipment and allows for routing the data to a device regarded as the most convenient for playing the media. The apparatus comprises an announcer device for indicating to surrounding equipment that associated equipment is available for rerouting, thereby to enable receipt of rerouted communications therefrom, and a scout device for scanning surroundings of the associated equipment to find out about compatible equipment in the vicinity, thereby to reroute communications thereto. The apparatus may be attached to any device having data processing capability, to enable rerouting of data and communications therebetween.

When an application server receives an invite message associated with a call from an originating user equipment (UE) to a terminating UE, the application server can determine if one of the originating UE or the terminating UE is associated with a scammer. If the originating UE is associated with a scammer, the application server can remove the scammer's caller identification (ID) information from the invite message, such that a user of the terminating UE cannot use that caller ID information to make a return call to the scammer. If the terminating UE is associated with a scammer, the application server can remove caller ID information associated with the originating UE from the invite message to hide the calling party's information from the scammer, and/or invoke playback of a scam announcement to the originating UE to warn the calling party that they are calling a scammer.

Answering machine detection (AMD) processes in a contact center is used to derive and store AMD meta-data about a known greeting from an automatic voice messaging capability (AVMC) on a telephone call to a known number. The AMD meta-data is used in subsequent calls to that known number wherein the greeting detected is analyzed using the AMD meta-data to make a comparison if the current greeting is the same of that previously encountered. If the current greeting is the same as previously encountered, this suggests the number has not been reassigned. If different, this suggests the number was reassigned. If the distinction is not clear, then the agent may perform a manual comparison of the audio speech and/or a transaction of the greeting. If the number is reassigned, then a number validation for the intended individual can be performed to verify whether the number was reassigned.

Techniques are disclosed for managing outbound voice messages in a communication system that includes communication devices and a communication server. A temporal mode of either live mode or message mode and a recipient mode of either group mode or direct mode are selected and set for an outbound voice message. Based on the selected settings for temporal mode and recipient mode the originating communication device records a voice message that is relayed to the communication server where it is distributed to other communication devices according to the rules or parameters associated with the temporal and recipient mode selected.