Method for automatically returning voice mail messages

A method for returning a voice mail message for a subscriber of a voice mail service, comprising the steps of:

• accessing said voice mail service in response to an instruction from said subscriber received on a second calling line on a public switched telephone network;
• playing a first voice mail message for said subscriber, said first voice mail message having been received on a first calling line from a source and said first voice mail message and the first calling line number having been recorded;
• receiving a call back indication from said subscriber;
• automatically generating a call to said source of said first voice mail message in response to said call back indication by calling said first calling line number associated with said first calling line;
• connecting the subscriber to said first calling line if said call is successful;
• monitoring said call to determine when said call is terminated;
• and
• returning said subscriber to said voice mail service, in response to said call being terminated.

A method for returning a plurality of voice mail messages for a subscriber by a voice mail service residing within a telephone network platform, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a first communication with a voice mail message for said subscriber on a first calling line;
• recording said calling line number in a database associated with said network platform;
• receiving a second communication with a request from said subscriber to play said voice mail message;
• playing said voice mail message for said subscriber;
• receiving a call back indication from said subscriber;
• retrieving said first calling line number from said database associated with said network platform;
• automatically generating a third communication to the calling line number associated with said first calling line;
• and
• connecting said subscriber with said calling line associated with said first calling line number if said call is successful.