Abstract: Methods and systems for sending messages with a location token as a geographic location reference. A method for sending a message with location token from a sending station in a communications network, where user initiates a request by selecting a location, the sending station sends a request to a server for location token for the location selected by the user, the server generates a location token and returns the location token to the sending station, the sending station creates and sends the message with the location token sent by the server, a receiving station receives the message along with location token, user operating the receiving station requests the server to retrieve location by accessing the location token. The capabilities of the server may be co-hosted wholly or partially on the sending station, wholly or partially on the receiving station, or wholly or partially on both the sending and receiving station.

Abstract: A method for providing telephonic services comprises providing a toll-free access telephone number and receiving signaling or a call made to the toll-free number by a customer. The calling number of the customer number is determined and the signaling is terminated or the call is hung up. Thereafter, the customer is called-back and provided with a dialing prompt whereby the customer can select a desired service.

Abstract: A method of billing a collect telephone call comprising providing a toll-free or a local telephone number to a customer to access a provider in a toll-free call from a calling party telephone number; receiving the originating telephone number in response to the toll-free call; obtaining a destination telephone number from the customer; billing the call to the destination telephone number as coming from a predetermined other telephone number, whereby the calling party telephone number is not provided to the destination telephone number. Alternately, when a toll-free number is provided, billing the call to the destination telephone number as coming from the calling party telephone number.

Abstract: A method for providing telephonic services comprises providing a toll-free access telephone number and receiving signaling or a call made to the toll-free number by a customer. The calling number of the customer number is determined and the signaling is terminated or the call is hung up. Thereafter, the customer is called-back and provided with a dialing prompt whereby the customer can select a desired service.

Abstract: A method and system of providing telephone service comprises associating a list of telephone numbers with a representative telephone number. A call to the representative telephone number is detected and a plurality of telephone numbers on the list are simultaneously signalled. Thereafter, signalling is terminated at at least one of the plurality of telephone numbers thereby allowing a connection to be established with one or more parties at telephone numbers among the plurality of telephone numbers. Each telephone number on the list may be a representative number which is associated with another list of telephone numbers.

Abstract: A method for providing a proactive voice mail service wherein a message is recorded by a voice mail server if the customer's phone line is busy or does not answer and the voice mail server then attempts to deliver the message proactively to the customer. The method avoids loop-back charges which limit the usefulness of present implementations of proactive voice mail and allow for a nation-wide proactive voice mail service utilizing a server with toll-free inbound phone lines.

Abstract: A method for providing a never-busy fax service wherein a customer's fax machine appears to be never busy to a caller. The method avoids loop-back charges which limit the usefulness of present implementations of never-busy fax and allow for a nation-wide never-busy fax service utilizing a server with toll-free inbound phone lines.

Abstract: A method of telephone billing comprise providing a toll-free number to a customer to access a provider in a toll-free call from an originating customer telephone number, receiving the originating customer telephone number in response to the toll-free call, converting the toll-free call to a billable call during or after the toll-free call and billing the billable call to the originating customer telephone number.