A method of receiving communication events over a communications network, the method comprising: executing a communication client application at a first user terminal associated with a user, the communication client application arranged to operate in one of a plurality of operating modes, wherein each of the plurality of operating modes are associated with a respective set of filtering parameters; characterized in that the method comprises: storing the sets of filtering parameters associated with each of the plurality of operating modes in a storage means at the first user terminal; the communication client application detecting an operating mode that the communication client application is operating in and accessing the respective set of filtering parameters associated with said operating mode from said storage means; the communication client application transmitting the filtering parameters accessed from said storage means to a control node in the communications network, wherein the respective set of filtering parameters defines one or more types of communication event that are permitted to be received at the first user terminal from said network when the communication client application is operating in said operating mode; and receiving only said one or more types of communication event at the first user terminal from said control node when the communication client application is operating in said operating mode. executing a communication client application at a first user terminal associated with a user, the communication client application arranged to operate in one of a plurality of operating modes, wherein each of the plurality of operating modes are associated with a respective set of filtering parameters; characterized in that the method comprises: storing the sets of filtering parameters associated with each of the plurality of operating modes in a storage means at the first user terminal; the communication client application detecting an operating mode that the communication client application is operating in and accessing the respective set of filtering parameters associated with said operating mode from said storage means; the communication client application transmitting the filtering parameters accessed from said storage means to a control node in the communications network, wherein the respective set of filtering parameters defines one or more types of communication event that are permitted to be received at the first user terminal from said network when the communication client application is operating in said operating mode; and receiving only said one or more types of communication event at the first user terminal from said control node when the communication client application is operating in said operating mode. storing the sets of filtering parameters associated with each of the plurality of operating modes in a storage means at the first user terminal; the communication client application detecting an operating mode that the communication client application is operating in and accessing the respective set of filtering parameters associated with said operating mode from said storage means; the communication client application transmitting the filtering parameters accessed from said storage means to a control node in the communications network, wherein the respective set of filtering parameters defines one or more types of communication event that are permitted to be received at the first user terminal from said network when the communication client application is operating in said operating mode; and receiving only said one or more types of communication event at the first user terminal from said control node when the communication client application is operating in said operating mode.