Method of calling up called party, communication equipment, calling party information server, and calling control device

A communications apparatus including incoming call alerting means for selectively alerting a user to an incoming call by reproducing predetermined alert data, and communications means for when the incoming call is accepted, communicating with a calling-end device over a communications network,

• the apparatus comprising:
• receiving means for receiving from the communications network transmitted data representative of calling party information specified by the calling-end device;
• alert data designating means for designating the calling party information represented by the transmitted data as the alert data;
• and
• determining means for determining if the designated alert data should be reproduced or alerting should be performed according to predetermined settings with the reception of the call.

A method of calling a called party in which a device on a called end is alerted to the reception of a call from a device on the calling end prior to establishment of call communication between the calling-end device and the called-end device, the method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a call communication connection in a communication network between the calling-end device and the called-end device;
• transmitting calling party information from a server to the called-end device;
• detecting if the transmission of the calling party information to the called-end device is successful;
• and
• determining if the call communication connection between the called-end device and the calling-end device should be established in accordance with the result of the detection.