Abstract: A method of distributing telephone and/or telephone subscriber status/availability information comprises receiving information at a relay centre from each of a multiplicity of status/availability terminals. This information corresponds to the status/availability of a telephone and/or telephone subscriber and/or telephone line associated with the sending status/availability terminal. Information received at the relay centre from each sending status/availability terminal is immediately relayed to a group of other status/availability terminals associated with the sending terminal. At each receiving status/availability terminal, the received status/availability information is displayed on a display of the terminal to advise the subscriber of the current status/availability of other subscribers in which he is interested.