Multi-user telephone line

In an intelligent switched telephone network, having selected telephone lines connected to a plurality of particular locations, a method of restricting use of a telephone service from a telephone line at a particular location, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a first valid logon code from a user from one of said particular locations;
• activating said telephone line associated with said telephone service for said user for subsequent calls at one of said particular locations in response to said step of receiving said first valid logon code;
• and
• deactivating said telephone line in response to receiving a second valid logon code said second valid logon code, representing a telephone line activation code of another user, receipt of said second valid logon code causing deactivation of association of said telephone line with said telephone service for said user and said telephone line being activated and associated with said telephone service for said another user.

A method of restricting the use of telephone service, with exception of provision of said telephone service in response to entry of an escape code, at a particular location to one of a plurality of subscribers, comprising the steps of:

• dedicating said use of said telephone service, with said exception of provision of said telephone service in response to entry of said escape code, to said plurality of subscribers, each of said plurality of subscribers having obtained an advanced subscription so as to receive said telephone service at said particular location in response to input of a valid logon code on a telephone line associated with said particular location;
• receiving a code;
• checking whether said code corresponds to said valid logon code of one of said plurality of subscribers;
• if said valid logon code is received, then activating said telephone line for subsequent calls associated with said telephone service at said particular location;
• and
• deactivating said telephone line for said telephone service at said particular location in response to receiving a second logon code.

A method of restricting use of a telephone service from a telephone line at a particular location to sequential use of said telephone service by a first subscriber and then a second subscriber, comprising the steps of:

• checking whether a first code entered at said particular location corresponds to a first valid code of said first subscriber;
• if said first code corresponds to said first valid code, then activating and associating said telephone line with said first subscriber for subsequent calls associated with said telephone service at said particular location;
• checking whether a second code entered at said particular location corresponds to a second valid code of said second subscriber;
• and
• if said second code corresponds to said second valid code, then disassociating said telephone line from said first subscriber and associating said telephone line with said second subscriber for further subsequent calls associated with said telephone service at said particular location.

A method of preventing the use of telephone service, with exception of provision of said telephone service in response to entry of an escape code, at a particular location unless a valid logon code of one of a plurality of subscribers is received, comprising the steps of:

• providing an association between said telephone service at said particular location and said plurality of subscribers;
• receiving a logon code;
• checking whether said logon code corresponds to a valid logon code of one of said plurality of subscribers;
• if said valid logon code is received, then activating a telephone line for subsequent calls associated with said telephone service at said particular location;
• and
• deactivating said telephone line for said telephone service at said particular location in response to receiving a second logon code.