Remote PBX system and advanced communication terminals

In a system having a caller's phone service provider and a customer's phone service provider, the improvement comprising:

• a remote PBX apparatus having local PBX functionality therein for a plurality of customers without the necessity of having local PBXs for each such customer.

A communication terminal connectable to a customer's telephone communication link having more than one telephone number assigned to the customer's telephone communication link, comprising:

• a terminal audio unit capable of being activated by a user and receiving user communication;
• a terminal modem unit receiving a connect signal from a customer's phone service provider without the connect signal passing through a local PBX, the connect signal including a called telephone code indicative of one of the telephone numbers assigned to the customer, the terminal modem unit providing bidirectional communication between the terminal audio unit and the customer's phone service provider once communication is established therebetween;
• a terminal display unit receiving the called telephone code and outputting the called telephone code in a format perceivable by a user prior to activation of the terminal audio unit by the user such that the user of the communication terminal is capable of knowing which of the more than one telephone numbers assigned to the one customer's telephone communication link was called prior to answering.

A communication terminal connectable to a customer's telephone communication link having more than one telephone number assigned to the customer's telephone communication link, comprising:

• a terminal capable of being activated by a user and receiving user communication, the terminal receiving a connect signal from a customer's phone service provider without the connect signal passing through a local PBX, the connect signal including a called telephone code indicative of one of the telephone numbers assigned to the customer, the terminal providing bidirectional communication between the terminal and the customer's phone service provider once communication is established therebetween, the terminal receiving the called telephone code and outputting the called telephone code in a format perceivable by a user prior to activation of the terminal by the user such that the user of the communication terminal is capable of knowing which of the more than one telephone numbers assigned to the one customer's telephone communication link was called prior to answering.