Importance

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Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for enabling parties with similar interests to speak with one another through connections automatically established by equipment within the telephone network. A party seeking to join a conversation or obtain information (referred to as a 'requesting subscriber') is connected automatically with an appropriate individual, conference call, or voice messages on the basis of information provided by the requesting subscriber and information about other prospective parties to the call (other 'subscribers' to the interactive telephone network service). The requesting subscriber need not know the identities or telephone numbers of the other subscribers. The identities and telephone numbers of the other subscribers are maintained in a database and may be held in secrecy. Similarly, a requesting subscriber may create or retrieve telephone messages stored in a database according to the subject matter of the message.

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First Claim