Patent ID: 7295662

Claim:
A communications system, comprising: a network element; and at least one subscriber terminal comprising: a transmitter for transmitting signals; a memory for storing parameters associated with selectable profiles, said parameters controlling the functions of the subscriber terminal at least in connection with a terminating call; and a user interface providing the possibility to select for use one of said selectable profiles with the associated parameters, wherein said parameters stored in the memory of the subscriber terminal include message parameters which identify messages that are associated with the respective profiles, whereby a profile selection carried out with the user interface triggers the transmitter to transmit an activation message to the network element; and said network element comprises: a storage for storing several optional messages, and for at least some of the messages terminal identifiers identifying calling subscribers, for said at least one subscriber terminal, a controller which is responsive to said activation message for activating the message or messages indicated by the activation message, such that the activated message or messages can be transmitted from the storage to a calling subscriber of the system under predetermined conditions, and a receiver unit for receiving an identifier identifying a calling subscriber attempting to make a call terminating at said at least one subscriber terminal; and said controller is adapted to compare the received identifier with corresponding identifiers stored in the storage in connection with the respective activated messages, and if the comparison indicates that the identifiers match for one of the activated messages, to transmit said message to the calling subscriber.