System and method for providing network information service

In a system having an originating service switching point (SSP) and a dial tone generator, a method of providing access to an information service over a telephone network comprising:

• configuring a customer premises equipment (CPE) to receive a dial tone when said CPE is off-hook;
• configuring said dial tone generator to automatically provide audio information received from said information service instead of said dial tone;
• and
• continuously transmitting said audio information to said CPE when said CPE is off-hook.

In a system having an originating service switching point (SSP), a signalling transfer point (STP), a service node/intelligent peripheral (SNIP) and a switching control point (SCP), a method for providing information over a telephone network comprising:

• automatically connecting current information for storage in a service node;
• determining whether a subscriber is authorized to receive said current information;
• configuring a customer premises equipment (CPE) to receive and output a caller identification (CID) message;
• connecting said SSP to said service node upon determining that said subscriber is authorized;
• and
• providing non-CID data in said CID message from said SNIP to said CPE for output by said CPE, said non-CID data including said current information.

A system having an originating service switching point (SSP), a signalling transfer point (STP), a service node/intelligent peripheral (SNIP) and a switching control point (SCP), the system for providing access to an information service over a telephone network comprising:

• a customer premise equipment (CPE) selectably in communication with said SSP, said CPE configured to receive a dial tone when said CPE is off-hook;
• a service node in communication with said SSP, said service node adapted to automatically receive and store content from said information service;
• and
• a processor adapted to enable said SNIP to provide said content as continuous audio instead of said dial tone to said CPE when said CPE is off-hook.

A system having an originating service switching point (SSP), a signalling transfer point (STP) and a switching control point (SCP), the system for providing information over the telephone network comprising:

• a customer premise equipment (CPE) in communication with said SSP, said CPE configured to receive and output a caller identification (CID) message;
• a service node adapted to automatically receive and store current information;
• and
• a processor adapted to enable said service node to continuously provide non-CID data, including said current information in said CID message from said service node to said CPE for output by said CPE.

In a system having an originating service switching point (SSP), a signalling transfer point (STP) and a switching control point (SCP), a method for providing access to one or more information services over a telephone network comprising:

• configuring a customer premises equipment(CPE) to receive a dial tone when said CPE is off-hook;
• receiving an off-hook trigger;
• automatically connecting audio content from one or more of said information services in response to said off-hook trigger;
• automatically translating received content from text to audio, if said received content is in a text format;
• storing said translated content in a storage device in a service node;
• determining whether a subscriber is authorized to receive said content;
• connecting the SSP to said service node upon determining that said subscriber is authorized;
• and
• continuously transmitting said stored content instead of said dial tone from said service node to said CPE when said CPE is off-hook.