Toll saver for centralized messaging systems

A communications system comprising:

• a switched communications network for providing selective call connections between subscribers' lines;
• a centralized messaging system for storing messages directed to individual subscribers and transmitting stored messages to subscribers, wherein the network forwards calls directed to one of said subscribers' lines to said centralized messaging system;
• and
• means for sending an instruction to the network indicating that the centralized messaging system has stored at least one message for the one subscriber,
• wherein said network changes a parameter of its call forwarding function with respect to calls directed to the one subscriber's line in response to said instruction, the change in the parameter of the call forwarding function being perceptible to subsequent callers.

A communications system comprising:

• a switched communications network for providing selective call connections between subscribers'lines;
• a centralized messaging system, wherein the network forwards calls directed to one of said subscribers' lines to said centralized messaging system, and the centralized messaging system includes means for answering forwarded calls and recording incoming messages for individual subscribers;
• and
• means for sending an instruction to the network indicating a change in status of storage of messages for the one subscriber in the centralized messaging system,
• wherein the network changes a parameter of its call forwarding function with respect to calls directed to the one subscriber in response to said instruction, the change in the parameter of the call forwarding function being perceptible to subsequent callers.

In a switched communications network having at least one switching system for providing selective communications between subscribers'lines, and at least one centralized messaging system for storing messages directed to individual subscribers, said at least one switching system also providing selective communications between subscribers' lines and the centralized messaging system, a method comprising:

• receiving in the centralized messaging system information from a subscriber defining a predetermined ringing interval;
• transmitting information representing the received information from the centralized messaging system to the communications network;
• forwarding at least one call directed to a line assigned to the subscriber to the centralized messaging system if the call is not answered on the subscriber's line within the predetermined ringing interval;
• wherein the received information includes a first value and a second value for said predetermined ringing interval, said first value being higher than said second value, and the step of forwarding at least one call comprises forwarding a first call if unanswered within an interval equal to the first value and forwarding a second call if unanswered within an interval equal to the second value.

A switched communications network comprising:

• a switching system providing selective call connections between subscribers' lines;
• a centralized messaging system for storing messages directed to individual subscribers and transmitting stored messages to subscribers, wherein said switching system forwards calls directed to one of said subscribers' lines to said centralized messaging system;
• and
• means for sending an instruction to the switching system in response to a change in status of a service provided by the centralized messaging system to the one subscriber,
• wherein said switching system changes a parameter of its call forwarding function with respect to calls directed to the one subscriber in response to said instruction.