At&t Intellectual Property I, LP

Z-tel Technologies, Inc.

Gregory Newton

John Ruckart

Phillip Weeks

Charles McDonough

Daniel E Cripe

Establishing settings of communications service features for a user includes identifying a plurality of communications services of the user. The plurality of communications services include wireline phone service, cellular phone service and/or electronic mail (e-mail) service. A plurality of user selectable communications service scenarios for the user are defined. Settings for the plurality of communications services to be applied for the user upon selection of one of the scenarios are established. A selection of one of the scenarios is received. The current settings of the communications service features for the user are automatically changed to the established settings for the selected one of the scenarios responsive to receiving the selection of the one of the scenarios.

Methods, systems, and computer program products for establishing settings of communications service features

Methods of managing data associated with an entity include providing an address book entry for the entity in an address book of a user. The address book entry has an associated name and includes a plurality of identifications associated with the entity. Data records associated with the entity are automatically obtained from a plurality of applications based on the plurality of identifications associated with the entity, including a communications service of the entity. The obtained data records and the address book entry are formatted to provide an address book record for the entity in the address book. The address book record includes contact information for the entity and includes an identification of communications between the user and the entity and/or common appointments of the user and the entity.

Methods for managing aggregated address books

The invention provides a virtual private branch exchange (VPBX) that allows a plurality of individuals to be associated with a single telephone number. In one possible embodiment, when a call is received, the VPBX retrieves the customer's profile based on the called number. The profile includes a list of individuals associated with the called number, there are extension number, and any instructions concerning their personal communication requirements. A menu is then presented to the caller based on the called number's profile. The caller is given a plurality of choices, such as to choose to contact a particular individual, device, or service, such as an individual's extension, a common voice mail system, or an administrative person, such as a receptionist. If the caller chooses to be routed to a VPBX extension, the call is routed to the called party and the VPBX monitors whether the call is answered. If the party answers, the VBPX connects the call. If the called party does not answer, the VPBX checks the called party's profile for other instructions, such as whether the called party desires that the caller be routed to voice mail, that the system activate a Find-me system, etc.

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Dunwoody, GA, United States of America

Gregory Newton