Patent ID: 6023505
Filing Date: 2000-02-08
Classification: H04Q

Abstract:
In a telecommunications network including a plurality of central offices, and including a terminating network element connected by an integrated services digital network (ISDN) interface connection to a first central office of said plurality of central offices, a system for providing a busy signal to a communication that has been forwarded to said terminating network element, said busy signal being provided without said terminating network element providing answer supervision for said communication, and thereby without the originating caller associated with said communication being charged for said communication, said system comprising:said terminating network element being operativeto accept said communication over said ISDN interface connection from said first central office and to form an ISDN interface connection to said communication,in response to acceptance of said communication, to determine the further routing of said communication to a terminating unit,to make a check as to whether said terminating unit is busy, said check being carried out through the use of data messages between said terminating network element and a second central office, said second central office serving said terminating unit, andif said terminating unit is busy,to provide a message to said first central office, said message instructing said first central office to play a busy signal to said communication, andto release said ISDN interface connection to said communication; andsaid first central office being operative in response to receipt of said message from said terminating network element to play said busy signal to said communication.