Patent ID: 8131269

Claim:
A method for calling a telephone number to deliver a voice message on behalf of one of a plurality of requestors organized into groups, each group having a group delivery mechanism with the ability to make telephone calls and play voice messages, comprising: receiving at a central system a request from a requestor to deliver a voice message to a designated telephone number, the central system having a central delivery mechanism with the ability to make telephone calls and play voice messages; determining whether the message should be delivered by the central delivery mechanism or by the group delivery mechanism of the group to which the requestor belongs; transmitting instructions to the central delivery mechanism if it is determined that the message should be delivered by the central delivery mechanism, or to the group delivery mechanism if it is determined that the message should be delivered by the group delivery mechanism, the instructions indicating the voice message to be delivered and the telephone number to which it is to be delivered; and calling the designated telephone number from the delivery mechanism that receives the instructions and playing the indicated voice message if the call is answered.