Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for delivering calling line information in a manner which preserves the privacy interests of the caller while providing useful information to the called party. The caller initiates a call from a caller terminal of a communication network. A destination central office or other network element receives the call along with a complete calling line number and delivers partial calling line information to the called party prior to connecting the call. The partial calling line information may include an NPA-NXX portion of an NPA-NXX-XXXX calling line number, geographical information such as state, county, city, township and zip code associated with the calling line, and/or an indication as to whether the call is from a residence, business, pay phone, cellular phone or other particular source such as a hospital or hotel.

Abstract: A transmission network for enabling communication between a multiplicity of user stations is disclosed. The network can handle a wide variety of traffic types ranging from the continuous transmission of batch data to the bursty transmission of voice and interactive data. The network comprises an array of switches which are connected by trunk groups. Communication between any pair of user stations is achieved by means of a virtual circuit which passes through one or more of the switches. Frames of data are synchronously transmitted between the switches. Variable bit rate capability is achieved by allocating different numbers of slots in each frame to different virtual circuits.