Importance

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Abstract

A telephone status monitoring method an apparatus that monitors the status of a called party's telephone to maximize the probability of a calling party reaching the called party. The system uses a telephone status monitor to monitor the various characteristics and condition of consumer telephones such as on-hook/off-hook, number of rings to voice mail, call forwarding information and other consumer options for telephone service that are offered by telephone companies. A calling party that desires to know if a called party is available accesses a telephone status file over a network and determines if the called party is available. If the called party is available, a call can be placed. By periodically updating the telephone status file, the telephone status monitor keeps the file current for the telephones being monitored. Other capabilities allow for e-mail conversion to voice mail and 'beeping' a calling party when a called party telephone is available for a call.

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First Claim