Abstract: An initialization arrangement is disclosed that allows call services defined in service profiles stored in a switching system to be enabled for individual terminals in a multipoint configuration without requiring assignment of terminal endpoint identifiers or virtual channel identifiers at subscription time. The call services are enabled for a terminal when the terminal transmits two identifiers to the switching system, one identifier defining the terminal and the other identifier defining a service profile. The switching system includes the identifier of the service profile in broadcast messages to address terminals with features defined by that service profile. Two embodiments of the invention are disclosed, one applicable in a narrowband integrated service digital network (ISDN) and the other applicable in a broadband ISDN (BISDN).

Abstract: A call processing method and apparatus for maximizing the number of calls that are offered to terminals sharing a digital subscriber line while insuring that for every call offered, a channel of the digital subscriber line remains allocatable to at least one terminal addressed by the call for use in answering the call. The switching system reserves a channel of the digital subscriber line in response to an incoming call. This channel is reserved for a set of terminals that share the digital subscriber line and that are addressed by the incoming call. This reservation entitles one of the terminals to be allocated a channel to originate or answer calls.