Intelligent Redialing with Presence Information

A status monitoring system operable with a soft phone application communicable with a voice service provider including:

• a. user input means to maintain a contact list including configuration information identifying a contact, a communications address for that contact, an online status indicator and a contact call request indicator updatable between an active call request status or an inactive call request status;
• b. a contact presence agent communicable with at least one voice service provider to update said contact online status indicator to indicate the contact is online or other status indication;
• c. a display to produce an output showing configuration information for at least one contact including an online status indication of that contact;
• and
• d. an alert monitor to produce an user perceptible output in response to an online change in status of a contact in said contact list having an active call request status.

A method of operating a communications device interoperable with a soft phone application running on an internet interface device, said communications device having a telephone style handset including a keypad and display comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a contact list data storage to contain at least one entry, each such entry containing information identifying a contact, and configuration information defining at least one communications address for the contact,
• b. operating a contact presence agent to determine an online or other status of such communications address;
• c. receiving a call request;
• and
• d. activating said soft phone application to place a call to a communications address having an online status.