A method for updating presence attributes comprising: receiving by a presence server presence information from a user terminal implementing a Presence Source and a first Watcher, wherein the presence information comprises a plurality of presence attributes associated with the Presence Source; receiving by the presence server a first request from the first Watcher to subscribe to watcher notification information; receiving by the presence server a second request from a second Watcher to view a state of a specific presence attribute of the plurality of presence attributes associated with the Presence Source; informing the first Watcher, by the presence server, in response to the first request from the first Watcher and the second request from the second Watcher, of the presence attribute whose state is specifically requested to be viewed by the second Watcher; updating, by the Presence Source, the presence attribute whose state is specifically requested in the second request; determining, by the Presence Source, based on the informing of the presence attribute whose state is specifically requested to be viewed by the second Watcher in the second request, to publish the updated presence attribute to the presence server; deferring by the presence server a conveying of notifications to watching Watchers of updates of presence attributes associated with the Presence Source by waiting until expiration of a deferral time period before conveying presence attribute update notifications to the watching Watchers; and deferring by the user terminal publication of the updated presence attribute to the presence server until expiration of a reporting time period, the reporting time period being determined by reference to a timer of the user terminal and expiring shortly before the expiration of the deferral time period. receiving by a presence server presence information from a user terminal implementing a Presence Source and a first Watcher, wherein the presence information comprises a plurality of presence attributes associated with the Presence Source; receiving by the presence server a first request from the first Watcher to subscribe to watcher notification information; receiving by the presence server a second request from a second Watcher to view a state of a specific presence attribute of the plurality of presence attributes associated with the Presence Source; informing the first Watcher, by the presence server, in response to the first request from the first Watcher and the second request from the second Watcher, of the presence attribute whose state is specifically requested to be viewed by the second Watcher; updating, by the Presence Source, the presence attribute whose state is specifically requested in the second request; determining, by the Presence Source, based on the informing of the presence attribute whose state is specifically requested to be viewed by the second Watcher in the second request, to publish the updated presence attribute to the presence server; deferring by the presence server a conveying of notifications to watching Watchers of updates of presence attributes associated with the Presence Source by waiting until expiration of a deferral time period before conveying presence attribute update notifications to the watching Watchers; and deferring by the user terminal publication of the updated presence attribute to the presence server until expiration of a reporting time period, the reporting time period being determined by reference to a timer of the user terminal and expiring shortly before the expiration of the deferral time period.