Patent ID: 7535999
Filing Date: 2009-05-19
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
1. A communication system, comprising: a communication network that attempts to connect a call between a calling party and a called party, wherein the called party has a plurality of telephone numbers; and a plurality of voice mail systems connected to the communication network that correspond with the plurality of telephone numbers for the called party; the communication network is operable to determine that the called party has not answered the call attempt, to prompt the calling party to record a voice message, and to receive the voice message from the calling party; the communication network is further operable to determine if the called party is a subscriber to a voice mail bridging service; if the called party is a subscriber, then the communication network is further operable to prompt the calling party to select at least one predefined telephone number for the called party, and to transmit the voice message to the plurality of voice mail systems corresponding with the called telephone number for the called party and the at least one predefined telephone number for the called party selected by the calling party; if the called party is not a subscriber, then the communication network is further operable to determine if the calling party is a subscriber to the voice mail bridging service; if the calling party is a subscriber, then the communication network is further operable to prompt the calling party to enter at least one additional telephone number for the called party, and to transmit the voice message to the plurality of voice mail systems corresponding with the called telephone number for the called party and the at least one additional telephone number for the called party entered by the calling party.