Patent ID: 8600012

Claim:
A method of providing pre-call-connection messaging service to a calling party, the method comprising: at least one network device receiving a first call-setup request from a calling party, the first call-setup request reflecting a request that an active call be set up between the calling party and a called party; after receiving the first call-setup request, the at least one network device starting to attempt to establish the active call between the calling and called parties at least in part by transmitting a second call-setup request to the called party, the second call-setup request reflecting a request that an active call be set up between the calling and called parties; prior to receiving a response to the second call-setup request, the at least one network device starting to record a message from the calling party while continuing to attempt to establish the active call; and if the at least one network device detects an affirmative termination of the message recording prior to successfully establishing the active call, the at least one network device thereafter making the recorded message accessible to the called party.