Patent ID: 7746996

Claim:
A telecommunications system, comprising: a home location register for storing a profile of a user of a telecommunications device, wherein the profile includes an indication of whether the user is a subscriber to an incoming call hold service implemented by the telecommunications system; a services node for: determining whether an incoming call placed to the telecommunications device by a calling party should be placed on hold prior to the call being answered by the user of the telecommunications device according to the incoming call hold service if the hold function is enabled, the determining based on a user input predetermined time period during which the incoming call is placed on hold, and a list including at least one predetermined potential calling party from whom incoming calls are placed on hold, the user input predetermined time period during which the incoming call is placed on hold being obtained by interfacing with a scheduling program; placing the incoming call on hold prior to the call being answered, the placing the call on hold being performed without input from the called party at the time of the call; if the incoming call is not to be placed on hold based on the incoming call hold service, directly ringing a called party device if the hold function is not enabled; determining whether the called party has pressed a button on the telecommunications device to enable a hold function playing a message to the calling party that the call has been placed on hold; and connecting the telecommunications device to the calling party if the user of the telecommunications device answers the incoming call; and a mobile switching center for facilitating communication between the telecommunications device, the services node, and the home location register.