Importance

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Abstract

A marketing system selectively modifies an existing telephone network by modifying a portion of the call processing software of the existing telephone network and by replacing at least a portion of an audible call progress signal generated by the telephone network by a prerecorded announcement. A calling party places a telephone call at a first telephone to a second telephone having a particular calling status. Once the call is made, a switch or an associated network signaling system determines the busy/idle status of the second telephone. In place of the usual ringback or busy signal, an announcement indicates to the calling party the status of the second telephone and a series of announcements are played for a predetermined period of time. During the announcements, the system continues to determine the status of the telephone line of the second telephone. The announcements are played until the call is completed or abandoned.

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First Claim