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System for providing hosted telephone services to a subscriber via the internet

  • US 20090201919A1
  • Filed: 03/30/2009
  • Published: 08/13/2009
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1997
  • Status: Abandoned Application
First Claim
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1. A method for providing telephone services from a service provider to subscribers comprising, in combination, the steps of:

  • employing a host data processing system operated on behalf of said service provider to publish one or more web pages which describe said telephone services and invite members of the public to subscribe to said telephone services by using a web browser to display, complete and submit one or more web page subscription forms,employing said host data processing system to accept and store account information including a credit card number submitted by a given subscriber using said one or more web page subscription forms to establish a subscription account between said telephone service provider and said given subscriber,on the condition that a password known to said given subscriber and accessible to said host data processing system is satisfactorily received by said host data processing system from said given subscriber, employing said host data processing system to accept preference data submitted by said given subscriber to specify the manner in which telephone calls will be handled on behalf of said given subscriber in accordance with said subscription account,connecting an interface for transmitting call management and caller identification signals between said host data processing system and the public switched telephone system,establishing an assigned telephone number to which incoming telephone calls directed to said given subscriber may be placed via said public switched telephone system,employing said host data processing system and said interface to handle incoming telephone calls directed to said assigned telephone number in a manner specified by said preference specification data, including the sub-steps of forwarding at least selected ones of said incoming telephone calls in a manner specified by said preference specification data and handling voice mail messages directed to said assigned telephone number in a manner specified by said preference data, andbilling said given subscriber for said telephone services provided by said service provider in accordance with said subscription account.

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