Patent ID: 8630401

Claim:
A method for providing directory services over a communication system including a data network and a telephony network, the method comprising: receiving a request for directory information from a subscriber of the communication system, the subscriber submitting the request according to a first one of a plurality of communication modes; accessing one of a plurality of directories in response to the request, wherein the directories include an internal directory associated with the subscriber and an external directory not associated with the subscriber; retrieving the directory information from the selected directory; forwarding the directory information to the subscriber according to a second one of the communication modes in an initial response to the request, wherein the second communication mode is different from the first communication mode; and forwarding the directory information to the subscriber according to the first communication mode, wherein the forwarding of the directory information to the subscriber according to the second communication mode is performed concurrently with the forwarding of the directory information to the subscriber according to the first communication mode.