Patent ID: 6687359
Filing Date: 2004-02-03
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
A telephony exchange for establishing a telephone call been a calling item and a called item of terminating equipment, said called item of terminating equipment being associated with a mailbox to which calls to said called item of terminating equipment are diverted after ringing for a predetermined time, said exchange comprising:a first detector, responsive to a sign from a calling item of terminating equipment, for determining that a party employing said calling item wishes to employ automatic dialling of a called item; a second detector arranged to determine a value indicative of said predetermined time which, if met, causes a call to said called item to be diverted to a mailbox; and an automatic dialling component, responsive to said first detector determining that said party employing said calling item wishes to employ automatic dialling, and responsive to said value being communicated by said second detector, arranged to attempt to establish a call to said called item where said called item rings for a time less than that indicated by said value.