The present invention allows a user to screen messages being left at a hosted voicemail system from a telephone terminal. Incoming calls intended for the telephone terminal are routed to the voicemail system immediately or after attempting to connect incoming call to the telephone terminal. As the caller is leaving a message at the voicemail system, a connection between the incoming call, voicemail system, and telephone terminal is established to allow the user to listen to the message and decide whether to take the call. The user may decide to take the call or let the caller finish leaving the message. In one embodiment, the telephone terminal is equipped to open only the speaker channel for monitoring the message and will provide a fully bi-directional connection if the user takes the call. The supporting switch and telephone terminal communicate with each other to facilitate the monitoring and taking of calls.

A User Equipment (UE) for handling voice or video calls, such as for example a smartphone, PC, laptop, tablet, etc, has a voicemail client integrated in its OS, or in the form of an app, configured to receive an incoming call message causing an alert about the incoming call for at most a pre-set no-answer period of time, after which, if the call is not answered, the call being set to be completed from the calling party towards a network-based voicemail center, and before the expiry of the pre-set no-answer period of time, to answer the incoming call, causing the call to be established between the calling party and the UE's voicemail client, wherein the call is not completed towards the network-based voicemail center. The voicemail client is further configured to play a greeting message for the calling party over the call with the calling party, record a voice message from the calling party, and alert the user of the UE about the voicemail message, using the UE's voicemail client. Voicemail messages are thus saved and accessed locally on the UE avoiding the signaling to a network-based voicemail client.

Delivering a transcribed voice message includes detecting receipt of a voice message for delivery to a user, the voice message related to an incoming call for the user; determining a current presence of the user on at least one of a plurality of messaging channels in real time during receipt of the voice message; transcribing the voice message to text in real time; and delivering, in real time, the transcribed voice message to the at least one messaging channel on which the current presence of the user is determined. Delivering the transcribed voice message can also include receiving from the user initial identification of different user accounts, along with authorizations and permissions.

Delivering a transcribed voice message includes detecting receipt of a voice message for delivery to a user, the voice message related to an incoming call for the user; determining a current presence of the user on at least one of a plurality of messaging channels in real time during receipt of the voice message; transcribing the voice message to text in real time; and delivering, in real time, the transcribed voice message to the at least one messaging channel on which the current presence of the user is determined. Delivering the transcribed voice message can also include receiving from the user initial identification of different user accounts, along with authorizations and permissions.

A User Equipment (UE) for handling voice or video calls, such as for example a smartphone, PC, laptop, tablet, etc, has a voicemail client integrated in its OS, or in the form of an app, configured to receive an incoming call message causing an alert about the incoming call for at most a pre-set no-answer period of time, after which, if the call is not answered, the call being set to be completed from the calling party towards a network-based voicemail center, and before the expiry of the pre-set no-answer period of time, to answer the incoming call, causing the call to be established between the calling party and the UE's voicemail client, wherein the call is not completed towards the network-based voicemail center. The voicemail client is further configured to play a greeting message for the calling party over the call with the calling party, record a voice message from the calling party, and alert the user of the UE about the voicemail message, using the UE's voicemail client. Voicemail messages are thus saved and accessed locally on the UE avoiding the signaling to a network-based voicemail client.

Delivering a transcribed voice message includes detecting receipt of a voice message for delivery to a user, the voice message related to an incoming call for the user; determining a current presence of the user on at least one of a plurality of messaging channels in real time during receipt of the voice message; transcribing the voice message to text in real time; and delivering, in real time, the transcribed voice message to the at least one messaging channel on which the current presence of the user is determined. Delivering the transcribed voice message can also include receiving from the user initial identification of different user accounts, along with authorizations and permissions.

Delivering a transcribed voice message includes detecting receipt of a voice message for delivery to a user, the voice message related to an incoming call for the user; determining a current presence of the user on at least one of a plurality of messaging channels in real time during receipt of the voice message; transcribing the voice message to text in real time; and delivering, in real time, the transcribed voice message to the at least one messaging channel on which the current presence of the user is determined. Delivering the transcribed voice message can also include receiving from the user initial identification of different user accounts, along with authorizations and permissions.

A method includes receiving, at a device, a notification of a call from an application server and displaying, at the device, a pop-up view based on the notification, where the pop-up view includes a screen call option. The method also includes receiving, at the device, a selection of the screen call option and, in response to the selection of the screen call option, displaying a call screening view, where the call screening view includes a plurality of call screening action options. The method further includes receiving a second selection of a particular call screening action option of the plurality of call screening action options and handling the call based on the particular call screening action option.

Various embodiments provide real-time translation of a voicemail into a readable format as the voicemail is being recorded. In some cases, a system server records the voicemail by first answering a call from an originating device that goes unanswered by a destination device. Upon answering the call, the system server translates the recording, while it is being recorded, into a readable format. Alternately or additionally, the system server forwards portions of the readable format to the destination device. In turn, as the destination device receives portion(s) of the real-time translation, it can display the associated content, and/or update what is displayed as new portions are received. At times, the destination device provides additional call control that interrupts the voicemail while it is being recorded at the system server, and redirects the call to the destination device if the originating device is still connected.

The present invention provides flexible, user-definable call screening processes. The user can optionally define to which telecommunication terminals a screened call is to be broadcast to and under what conditions. An incoming call is forwarded to a call management system that asks the caller to leave a voice message. The call management system selectively couples the call to a POTS line or a VoIP-capable device so that the user can listen to the incoming message and thereby screen the incoming call. Based on the screening, the user can instruct the call management system to connect the caller to the user.