Patent ID: 8824530

Claim:
A modem for use at a terminal, the modem comprising: a first interface arranged to connect to a network; a second interface arranged to connect to a host processor on the terminal; and a modem processor arranged to receive presence configuration information from the host processor via the second interface and in response to receiving the presence configuration information the modem processor is arranged to transmit a request comprising the presence configuration information via the first interface to a presence information store; wherein the modem processor is further arranged to receive one or more notifications with presence information from the presence information store via the first interface based on the presence configuration information in the request, the presence information supplied to the presence information store by one or more further terminals associated with one or more users; wherein the modem processor is further arranged to store the one or more notifications in a storage means coupled to the modem processor, and in response to receiving a request for presence information from said host processor via the second interface, to supply presence information to the host processor based on the one or more notifications stored in the storage means.