Abstract: A method of completing an international call comprises the steps of determining if the international call cannot be completed as dialed for one reason or another and then automatically attempting the call again. There are many reasons for an international call failure including called station busy, domestic or foreign network congestion and invalid dialed number format. The domestic toll network can receive unsuccessful call reason information from either the domestic or foreign network upon the event of an international call failure. It has been shown that if the reasons are, for example, station busy or network congestion, then there is a significant probability that, if the call is immediately reattempted, the call may be completed on the second try. On the other hand, if the reason is an invalid dialed number format, an automatic reattempt of the international called party is inhibited.

Abstract: A system for an international telephone redial service is provided for callers who attempt to complete telephone calls to parties via foreign telephone networks. If a call is not completed, the foreign network returns unsuccessful call reason information related to the cause of the call completion failure. Informative messages may be played to the caller to inform the caller of the nature of a given call failure. Unsuccessful call reason information may be organized in groups, so that each group of unsuccessful call reason information is associated with a different informative message. International redial service may be selectively based on unsuccessful call reason information. International redial service may be inhibited when the cause of a call completion failure is due to a semi-permanent condition, such as when a non-existent number is dialed.

Abstract: A high-speed information service system is provided which uses a unique identifier received during call setup to retrieve automatically a personalized profile for an information service subscriber. The identifier uniquely identifies the subscriber, thereby allowing the information retrieval process to begin immediately after the call is setup. The system utilizes Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDN) signaling and temporary, "out-of-band" signaling to improve information retrieval capability. ISDN signaling permits electronic addressing of information requested by the subscriber, thereby eliminating the delays which accompany DTMF signal processing. Communications between an information service provider and an individual information source are conducted using out-of-band signaling. That is, call setup and information request are processed using a channel other than the channel which carries data between the information service provider, the information source and the subscriber.

Abstract: Telephone calls are directed from a first telecommunications platform to a second telecommunications platform, together with an identifier which uniquely identifies the call and enables telecommunication switches to monitor and maintain control over the call. The unique identifier enables the call to be returned from the second platform to the first platform. Once returned to the first platform, the call can be directed to a third telecommunications platform (and, subsequently, back to the first platform), without requiring the caller to place another call or to re-verify the caller's identity. The call identifier is used either to automatically return the call to the first platform after the occurrence of a predetermined event, or upon detecting predetermined, caller-dialed keystrokes indicating that the caller wishes to return to the interexchange carrier platform.

Abstract: A high-speed information service system is provided which uses Primary Rate Interface (PRI) Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDN) signaling and temporary, "out-of-band" signaling to improve information retrieval capability. ISDN signaling permits electronic addressing of information requested by the subscriber, thereby eliminating the delays which accompany DTMF signal processing. Communications between an information service provider and an individual information source are conducted using out-of-band signaling. That is, call setup and information request are processed using a channel other than the channel which carries data between the information service provider, the information source and the subscriber.