Abstract: A method, system, and program for billing for service provided to an origin device according to the current caller billing plan. A trusted telephone network, including at least one service provider, receives a request for service from an origin device. The origin device is associated with a line number to be billed for according to a line subscriber billing plan. An identity of a caller requesting the service from the origin device is authenticated. Then, a billing plan associated with the authenticated caller identity is accessed and utilized to replace or supplement the line subscriber billing plan, such that billing for service provided at an origin device is specified according to the caller currently utilizing the origin device.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for transferring a call to a backup according to call context are provided. A context for a call from a caller to an intended callee is detected. An intended party backup profile is accessed that indicates multiple backup parties designated by the intended callee. At least one backup party is automatically selected from among the multiple backup parties according to the context for the call. The call may be automatically forwarded to at least one backup party if the intended callee has currently elected to forward calls. Alternatively, after detecting that the intended callee is unavailable, the call may be automatically transferred to at least one backup party.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for billing a caller for use of an origin device are provided. Usage, of at least one measurable element of a telephony device by an identified individual, is tracked, where the identified individual is distinct from an owner of the origin telephony device. A tariff for the tracked usage is transferred to an intermediary device. The intermediary device charges the tariff according to a billing plan for the identified individual, such that the owner is compensated for use of at least one measurable element of the owner's telephony device. Measurable elements may include the time the telephony device is in the identified individual's possession, the battery usage, and usage of the address book.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and program for originating a billed transaction at an origin telephony device are provided. A request to originate a billed transaction is received from an origin device. The identity of a callee answering a call originated by the origin device is authenticated. Responsive to receiving an acceptance of the call by the callee, an account accessed by the authenticated identity of said callee is billed to complete said billed transaction, such that the origin device is enabled to initiate the billed transaction charged to the callee. In particular, a service associated with the billed transaction may only available for a particular callee or selection of callees. In addition, the callee may elect which account to charge for the billed transaction. Further, the identity of the caller originating the call at the origin device is forwarded to the callee.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for identifying relevant scheduling events for a call. When a call is received at a service provider, the service provider initiates a call context request. A context inference service handling the call context request accesses a schedule of at least one party to the call. Then, the services designates a context for the call indicating at least one scheduled event from the schedule that is relevant to the call. A schedule may be accessed from a telephony device, a data storage system within a trusted telephone network, or a data storage system accessible via a network outside a trusted telephone network.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for compensating recipients of calls are provided. A request to bill a caller a tariff for a call is initiated, wherein the caller originates the call. The caller is prompted to accept payment of the tariff to receive access to a destination line during the call. Responsive to negotiating for the payment of the tariff from the caller, the caller is connected with the destination line, such that the caller pays for access to the destination line. In particular, the caller may pay for access to a particular callee at the destination line.

Abstract: A system, system, and program for identifying a call made or received on behalf of another are provided. In particular, a call request for a call is detected. A context for the call is requested from a context inference service, wherein the context indicates whether an on behalf of action is invoked for the call by the caller or callee. An on behalf of action may be requested by a caller or callee, automatically authorized by the on behalf of party, or inferred from other call context.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for managing caller profiles across multiple hold queues according to authenticated caller identifiers are provided. An identity of a caller of a call received at an on hold system is authenticated. The call is then placed in a hold queue. A caller profile associated with the identity of the caller is retrieved, such that services available to the caller while on hold are specified according to the caller profile. In particular, the caller profile is preferably retrieved from at least one caller profile server according to the caller identifier, where the at least one caller profile server is accessible to multiple on hold systems. Further, the identity of a caller may be authenticated by authenticating a voice sample received from the caller, such that a single identity for the caller may be authenticated at multiple call centers.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for promoting use of experts to callers waiting within a hold queue are provided. First, use of experts by callers waiting in a hold queue is promoted by offering callers an incentive to speak to an expert while waiting to speak with an official representative. The caller continues to progress in the hold queue while speaking with an expert. In addition, the caller may receive an additional adjustment in the hold queue, a financial incentive, and a rewards points incentive, for interacting with an expert while holding. Second, use of experts by callers waiting in a hold queue is promoted by authenticating the identity of third party experts, in order to verify that an expert has the skills needed to help a caller and to provide the caller with the identity of the expert for accountability.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for promoting caller voice browsing while a caller is waiting in a hold queue are provided. At least one web page is selected for voice browsing by a particular caller waiting in a hold queue. The particular caller may be offered an incentive to voice browse the at least one web page, such that an on hold system housing the hold queue may promote voice browsing of specific web pages. Incentives may be in the form of points that are redeemable by the caller, for example, for adjustments in position within the call queue. In addition, the identity of the caller is preferably authenticated and a caller profile accessed according to the authenticated caller identity. Voice browsing web page selections may be tailored for the caller according to the caller profile.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for origin device initiated caller identification are provided. In response to detecting a call extended to a destination device, extending a request from said destination device to an origin device requesting a voice utterance of the caller at said origin device. A caller identity associated with the voice utterance is identified at the destination device, such that a callee receiving the call at the destination device is informed of the caller identity before choosing whether to speak with the caller.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for intermediary device initiated caller identification are provided. A trusted telephone network detects a call initiation connection from an origin device. The trusted telephone network then brokers a connection between the origin device and an external server enabled to perform a caller identity authentication service. A voice utterance for a caller is received at the external server from the origin device. The server authenticates a caller identity associated with the voice utterance and transfer the authenticated caller identity to the trusted telephone network. The trusted telephone network then specifies services available for the call according to a caller profile for the authenticated caller identity.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for origin device initiated caller identification are provided. A voice utterance is detected at an origin device. A caller identity associated with the voice utterance is identified at the origin device, such that the caller identity is transmittable as an authenticated identity of the caller for a call. An intermediary device receives the caller identity with a call request and specifies services available to the caller according to a caller service profile associated with the caller identity.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for destination device initiated callee identification are provided. A voice utterance of a callee is detected at a destination device. Then, a callee identity associated with the voice utterance is identified at the destination device, such that the callee identity is transmittable as an authenticated identity of the callee for a call. A caller receiving the callee identity may decide whether to open communication with the callee or terminate the call. The destination device may access a third party device for authenticating the caller identity according to the voice utterance, where the third party device may be accessible across multiple destination devices via a network.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for intermediary device initiated callee identification are provided. A trusted telephone network detects a call receipt connection from a destination device. The trusted telephone network then brokers a connection between the destination device and an external server enabled to perform a callee identity authentication service. A voice utterance for a callee is received at the external server from the destination device. The server authenticates a callee identity associated with the voice utterance and transfer the authenticated callee identity to the trusted telephone network. The trusted telephone network then specifies services available for the call according to a callee profile for the authenticated caller identity.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for origin device initiated callee identification are provided. At an origin device, a voice utterance of a callee is detected from a destination device. A callee identity associated with the voice utterance is identified at the origin device, such that the callee identity is transmittable as an authenticated identity of the callee for a call. A caller may select whether to continue a call dependent upon whether the callee identity is preferable. In addition, an intermediary device may receive the callee identity and specify services available during the call according to the callee identity.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for allowing callers to adjust in position within a hold queue are provided. An advancement token earned by a caller while waiting in a hold queue is detected. The advancement token is stored for redemption in a future call by the caller according to an authenticated identifier for the caller, wherein future redemption of the advancement token will cause adjustment of a waiting position. In particular, a caller in the call hold queue may earn advancement tokens by answering questions posed by other callers in the call hold queue, where the questions are answered in a manner such that the other callers do not need additional aid from a representative. In addition, a caller may redeem advancement tokens earned in a previous hold queue while waiting in current hold queue, where the redeemable advancement tokens are accessible across multiple call centers according to the caller identification.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for estimating hold queue wait times are provided. Call times are individually estimated for multiple calls within a call center. In particular, call times may be estimated according to representative profiles, caller profiles, and current caller activity of the multiple calls within the call center. The identity of each caller may be authenticated and a caller profile accessed from a central server according to authenticated caller identities. The central server may be accessible to multiple call centers, where each call centers accesses and updates caller profiles according to a single caller identifier for each caller. In addition, call times estimates and factors utilized to calculate call time estimates may be output to a caller, preferably according to an output interface specified by the caller in the caller profile.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for voice browsing while waiting in a hold queue are provided. Callers waiting in a hold queue are prompted to select a help subject for a call. A specified menu of browsable help information is output to the caller according to the help subject selected by the caller. Then, a web script is translated into audio output to the caller for a the caller's selection from the specified menu of browsable help information.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for publishing hold queue characteristics are provided. Characteristics of an on hold system are monitored. Then, responsive to a selection by a caller of a format and interface for publishing the characteristics, the characteristics are transferred to the selected interface in the selected format.