Single telephone number access to multiple communications services

Abstract

A platform provides access to multiple telecommunications services via a single telephone number. These services may include, for example, voicemail services. facsimile messaging services, paging services, and outbound calling services. A guest caller may call the single phone number to speak to a subscriber, leave a voicemail message for a subscriber, leave a facsimile message for a subscriber or place a page to a subscriber. A subscriber may call the phone number to place outbound calls. In addition, a subscriber may call the single phone number to retrieve or send facsimile messages and/or voicemail messages. A subscriber may also call the phone number to configure service options. For instance, a subscriber may select routing options and choose what services are available to Quest callers.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a call from a caller at a call service node;   receiving a first selection from the caller to leave a facsimile message for a subscriber of the call service node;   receiving, at the call service node, a second selection from the caller to leave a voice annotation associated with the facsimile message;   receiving the facsimile message and the voice annotation;   attaching the voice annotation to the facsimile message to generate an annotated facsimile message; and   providing the annotated facsimile message to the subscriber.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising prompting the caller to leave the voice annotation with the facsimile message. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in response to the first selection, transferring the call to a facsimile platform of the call service node. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising associating a mode indicator with the call, wherein the mode indicator corresponds to the first selection. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving an electronic mail message with the facsimile message. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising
 stripping the electronic mail message from the facsimile message; and   providing the electronic mail message to an electronic mail program accessible by the subscriber.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the electronic mail program is specified by the subscriber. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising attaching a video mail message to the facsimile message. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a billing record based at least in part on the providing of the annotated facsimile message to the subscriber. 
     
     
         10 . A call service node comprising:
 a call platform configured to:
 receive a call from a caller; 
 receive a first selection from the caller to leave a facsimile message for a subscriber of the call service node; 
 receive a second selection from the caller to leave a voice annotation associated with the facsimile message; and 
 receive the facsimile message and the voice annotation; and 
   a processor configured to:
 attach the voice annotation to the facsimile message to generate an annotated facsimile message; and 
 provide the annotated facsimile message to the subscriber. 
   
     
     
         11 . The call service node of  claim 10 , wherein the call platform is further configured to receive an electronic mail message with the facsimile message, and wherein the processor is further configured to:
 strip the electronic mail message from the facsimile message; and   provide the electronic mail message to an electronic mail program accessible by the subscriber.   
     
     
         12 . The call service node of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to associate a mode indicator with the call, wherein the mode indicator corresponds to the first selection. 
     
     
         13 . The call service node of  claim 10 , wherein the call platform is further configured to prompt the caller to leave the voice annotation with the facsimile message. 
     
     
         14 . The call service node of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate a billing record based at least in part on the providing of the annotated facsimile message to the subscriber. 
     
     
         15 . A tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:
 instructions for receiving a call from a caller at a call service node;   instructions for receiving a first selection from the caller to leave a facsimile message for a subscriber of the call service node;   instructions for receiving, at the call service node, a second selection from the caller to leave a voice annotation associated with the facsimile message;   instructions for receiving the facsimile message and the voice annotation;   instructions for attaching the voice annotation to the facsimile message to generate an annotated facsimile message; and   instructions for providing the annotated facsimile message to the subscriber.   
     
     
         16 . The tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 instructions for receiving an electronic mail message with the facsimile message;   instructions for stripping the electronic mail message from the facsimile message; and   instructions for providing the electronic mail message to an electronic mail program accessible by the subscriber.   
     
     
         17 . The tangible computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , further comprising instructions for attaching a video mail message to the facsimile message. 
     
     
         18 . A call service node comprising:
 means for receiving a call from a caller at a call service node;   means for receiving a first selection from the caller to leave a facsimile message for a subscriber of the call service node;   means for receiving, at the call service node, a second selection from the caller to leave a voice annotation associated with the facsimile message;   means for receiving the facsimile message and the voice annotation;   means for attaching the voice annotation to the facsimile message to generate an annotated facsimile message; and   means for providing the annotated facsimile message to the subscriber.   
     
     
         19 . The call service node of  claim 18 , further comprising means for prompting the caller to leave the voice annotation with the facsimile message. 
     
     
         20 . The call service node of  claim 18 , further comprising means for associating a mode indicator with the call, wherein the mode indicator corresponds to the first selection.