Abstract: A directory service, containing unique identifiers (e.g., telephone numbers) and related Internet address(es), accessible through the Internet. An Internet-enabled communication system, such as IP-PBX or voice mail system, accepts a telephone number as a destination address. It then contacts the directory service and requests the Internet address related to that telephone number. The communication system uses the Internet address to set up a delivery path via the Internet to the destination. Thus, all time-dependent charges normally associated with message delivery by the telephone network can be avoided.

Abstract: A directory service, containing unique identifiers (e.g., telephone numbers) and related Internet address(es), accessible through the Internet. An Internet-enabled communication system, such as IP-PBX or voice mail system, accepts a telephone number as a destination address. It then contacts the directory service and requests the Internet address related to that telephone number. The communication system uses the Internet address to set up a delivery path via the Internet to the destination. Thus, all time-dependent charges normally associated with message delivery by the telephone network can be avoided.

Abstract: A voice mail system in which a recipient of a call is provided with the ability to reply to an internal or external voice message in a common manner. A method for providing a reply includes identifying a caller, and retrieving an address of the caller from a database. Caller origination information is automatically provided with a recorded message from the caller to enable a recipient of the recorded message to reply. Identifying the caller may include searching a database using a voice signature of the caller to identify caller information.