Systems and methods for accessing information content while holding on a telephone call

A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for controlling a processor to provide user selectable information content while holding on a telephone call, said code including instructions to:

• provide an automated message voice recognition menu selection system;
• activate said system when a caller is placed on hold;
• provide at least one category of user selectable information content;
• select a category of user selectable information content;
• select information content titles wherein said content titles represent an information file selected from said user selected category;
• play said user selected information content titles for a dispersed, predetermined period of time wherein said user selected information content title may be terminated early at the option of the user and a subsequent selected information content title may be played;
• guide caller to enter billing and shipping information upon decision to buy;
• and
• terminate the subsequent selected information content title when the call is transferred to the intended recipient.

A computer-readable medium for providing user selectable information content while holding on a telephone call, comprising:

• program code for providing an automated message voice recognition menu selection system while a user is on hold during a telephone call;
• program code for activating said system when a caller is placed on hold;
• program code for providing at least one category of user selectable information content;
• program code for selecting a category of user selectable information content;
• program code for selecting information content titles wherein said content titles represent an information file selected from said user selected category;
• program code for playing said user selected information content titles for a predetermined period of time wherein said user selected information content title may be terminated early at the option of the user and a subsequent selected information content title may be played;
• program code for guiding a caller to enter billing and shipping information upon a decision to buy;
• and
• program code for terminating the subsequent selected information content title when the call is transferred to the intended recipient.

A computer-readable medium for providing user selectable information content while holding on a telephone call, comprising:

• program code for providing an automated message voice recognition menu selection system;
• program code for activating said system when a caller is placed on hold;
• program code for directly providing at least one category of user selectable information content;
• program code for directly receiving a spoken voice recognition response by the caller;
• program code for associating a user selectable information content category context to said spoken voice recognition response;
• program code for providing a user selectable context category selection means in response to said spoken voice recognition response;
• and
• program code for responding to said category selection, providing one or more information content titles wherein said content titles represent information files including fractional samples of information content.

A system for providing user selectable information content while holding on a telephone call, the system including a processor operable to execute instructions and a data storage medium for storing the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the method comprising:

• providing an automated message voice recognition menu selection system while a user is on hold during a telephone call;
• activating said system when a caller is placed on hold;
• providing at least one genre of user selectable information content;
• selecting a genre of user selectable information content;
• selecting information content titles wherein said content titles represent an information file selected from said user selected genre wherein the information content titles includes abbreviated samples of user selected information content titles from one or more user selected genres;
• playing said user selected information content titles for a predetermined period of time wherein said user selected information content title may be terminated early at the option of the user and a subsequent selected information content title may be played;
• and
• terminating the subsequent selected information content title when the call is transferred to the intended recipient.

A computer-implemented apparatus for providing user selectable information content while holding on a telephone call, said apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• an input device coupled to said processor;
• a memory coupled to said processor;
• an execution engine including instructions executable by said processor, said instructions being configured for providing user selectable information content while holding on a telephone call;
• and
• an output device.