At&t Bell Laboratories

Eric T Larsen

Wayne R Kalbow

William C Jones

Elizabeth M Mazur

This invention relates to apparatus and a method for use in conjunction with a service wherein a called telephone customer receives a display of the number of a calling telephone customer. In conjunction with this service, customers are offered a class of service and/or an option to dial a privacy request wherein their telephone number will not be displayed to the called telephone customer. In accordance with this invention, the customers are offered a class of service wherein they will receive calls only from telephone customers willing to have their telephone number displayed. If a call is made from a caller who does not wish to have his number displayed to a called customer who will not accept calls from customers unwilling to identify themselves, the caller is given a special announcement; in response to this announcement if the caller keys a special privacy override code then the call is completed with the caller's number displayed. Law enforcement agencies may be provided with a class of service which allows them to obtain a caller's number even when the caller has invoked privacy. Advantageously, such an arrangement protects telephone customers from receiving harassing calls, protects the privacy of those customers who normally do not wish to have their telephone number identified to the called customer, and permits calls to be completed between such customers.

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Glen Ellyn, IL, United States of America

Eric T Larsen