Abstract: A method and system are provided to allow ringback tones that provide personalized ringback greetings on calls that have reached a multi-line hunt group in which all lines are busy. The personalized ringback greeting is continued until an agent is available to answer the call. In one form, if more than one call is awaiting answer, the ringback application determines which call has been listening to the ringback announcement longest and forwards that call to the next available agent. All other calls receive the standard ringback tones.

Abstract: An arrangement for selectively routing traffic to alternate destinations. If the network or switch for accessing the primary destination is inaccessible (i.e., out of service), as opposed to simply being busy, calls are routed to an alternate destination; however, if the primary destination is simply busy, calls are not routed to any alternate destination. This is useful, for example, for emergency (E911) calls which are routed to alternate emergency bureaus only if the network or switch for accessing the home bureau is out of service. Alternatively, the tandem switch can select an alternate toll carrier on the basis of allocation of traffic to different alternate toll carriers. The same general kind of arrangement can be used to route calls to an alternate toll carrier if the preferred toll carrier selected by the customer is not accessible.

Abstract: A line-based 911 system and method that completes an emergency call from a telephone to a PSAP comprising a multiplicity of operator stations connected by individual lines to a telephone switching system. An emergency call is routed to the termination ports of the switching system associated with a PSAP. Each of the termination ports is connected to one of the multiplicity of operator stations via its associated line, thereby establishing a path from the telephone to the operator station, the CPN of the calling telephone is delivered to the selected operator station and the operator station obtains location information of the telephone in accordance with the CPN, which is then displayed.