System and method for called party controlled message delivery

A method for communication from a calling party to a called party, said method comprising:

• accepting a communication from a calling party directed to a called party at a time when an active communication connection from said calling party to said called party is not available;
• storing said accepted communication for later delivery to said calling party;
• delivering said accepted communication to said called party under said called party's control and only after said called party has agreed to pay for such delivery;
• and
• automatically removing any accepted communication from a calling party to a called party upon said called party accepting a subsequent incoming call from said calling party.

A method for delivering messages, said method comprising:

• storing messages from calling parties when a called party is not available, each said stored message directed from a calling party to a called party;
• communicating the availability of a stored message to each called party having a stored message directed to said called party;
• allowing each said called party the right to obtain said stored message only after said called party has agreed to pay for said right;
• and
• automatically removing any stored message from a particular calling party to a particular called party upon said particular called party accepting a subsequent incoming call from said particular calling party.

A method for delivering messages, said method comprising:

• storing messages from calling parties when called parties are not available to receive first calls from the calling parties;
• communicating the availability of stored messages to the called parties, the stored messages recorded during the first calls;
• allowing the called parties to obtain the stored messages only after the called parties have agreed to pay to receive the stored messages;
• and
• automatically removing any unretrieved stored messages for from a particular calling party to a particular called party upon detection of a second call between the particular calling party and the particular called party.