Abstract: A method and apparatus for connecting an electromechanical telephone central office having a step-by-step or cross bar type switching equipment to a remotely located automatic intercept message system. The terminating sleeve leads of a plurality of subscriber telephone numbers are connected to a scanner circuit. The sleeve leads correlate to preassigned telephone numbers and are continuously scanned for seizure. Upon detection of a service request to a disconnected or changed telephone number, the scanner seizes an outgoing trunk to a distant automatic intercept message playback system. When the outgoing trunk has been seized and a connection made to the AIS, a multifrequency spill of the telephone number which has been changed or disconnected is provided to the AIS, which in response provides an appropriate intercept message back over the trunk and is connected to the calling party.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically substituting one or more messages for a corresponding number of messages previously available for delivery by a message announcement system. The initial messages may be contained on a message announcement system of the type which periodically and repetitively makes one or more separate messages available for delivery to a message delivery system such as a telephone system. The present message reprogramming apparatus provides substitute messages serially disposed on a recording medium along with associated control signals corresponding to the individual substitute messages.