Method and apparatus for providing expanded telecommunications service

A method for providing expanded telecommunication services on a telecommunication system where a call from a first entity to a second entity is placed after the first entity enters a number for the second entity, comprising:

• receiving the call from the first entity as a result of a call directing method selected from the group including one or more of busy call forward, no answer call forward, call forward all, and telephone number portability;
• determining whether the computer device of the second entity is communicating with the server;
• sending a message to the computer device over a data network indicating the presence of the call and identifying the number of the first entity;
• holding the call at the server;
• and
• cross-connecting the first entity and the second entity.

A method for providing expanded telecommunication services on a telecommunication system where a call from a first entity to a second entity is placed when the first entity enters a number for the second entity, comprising:

• receiving the call from the first entity at a server via a switched telephone network as a result of a call directing method selected from the group including at least one of busy call forward, no answer call forward, call forward all, and telephone number portability;
• determining whether the computer device of the second entity is communicating with the server over a network;
• sending a message to the computer device over the network indicating the presence of the call and delivering identifying information of the first entity and a verbal communication from the first entity;
• receiving input from the second entity via the computer device;
• and
• directing the call in response to the input.

A system providing telephone services connectable to a telecommunications network, the system comprising:

• a call processing system connectable to a switched telephone network to receive calls directed to the call processing system by a call directing method selected from the group including at least one of busy call forward, no answer call forward, call forward all, and telephone number portability, the call processing system including:
• a data storage device that stores software configured to:
• determine if at least a first subscriber's computing device is communicating with the server over a data network;
• transmit caller communications for incoming calls to the first subscriber's computing device over the data network so that the subscriber can screen the calls;
• receive first subscriber call processing instructions over the data network;
• process incoming calls in accordance with the first subscriber call instructions.

A method of providing a called party the ability to screen calls, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a call processing apparatus, a forwarded call from a calling party intended for the called party, wherein signaling information associated with the forwarded call includes the calling party's phone number, and wherein the call was forwarded to the call processing apparatus as a result of a call directing method selected from the group including at least one of busy call forward, no answer call forward, and call forward all;
• playing a greeting to the calling party;
• opening a communication channel over the Internet with a networked computer associated with the called party;
• and
• transmitting in substantially real time at least a portion of the signaling information and a voice communication from the calling party over the communication channel to the networked computer so that the called party can screen the calling party's call.