Abstract: The invention relates to a telephone system and method for use by a residential user. A residential telephone system is electrically coupled to an external telephone service facility and electrically coupled to a user telephone. The system comprises a telephone service facility interface for receiving an incoming call signal from the external telephone service facility and a user telephone interface for transmitting the incoming call signal to the user telephone and for receiving an administrative signal from the user telephone. The system also comprises a memory and a messaging module for storing in the memory a calling party message received from a calling party in the incoming call signal.