Methods, systems, and products for providing communications services

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for providing communications services. Caller identification information associated with a call to a called number is received. A profile database is queried for a profile associated with the called number. The profile is queried for the caller identification information. When the profile contains the caller identification information, then a customized message, associated with the caller identification information, is retrieved.

1 . A method, comprising: 
 receiving caller identification information associated with a call to a called number;    querying a profile database for a profile associated with the called number;    querying the profile for the caller identification information; and    when the profile contains the caller identification information, then retrieving a customized message associated with the caller identification information.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising routing the customized message to a calling party.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising generating the caller identification information associated with the call.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein retrieving the customized message comprises retrieving a recorded message.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein retrieving the customized message comprises retrieving a computer generated message.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein retrieving the customized message comprises retrieving a text-based, alphanumeric message.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein retrieving the customized message comprises retrieving an electronic greeting.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising storing a user interface that accesses the profile.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising storing email notification data in the profile.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising storing user configurations to the profile.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising receiving identification information for the called number.  
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising sending an instruction to deliver the customized message, according to the profile.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising sending an instruction to link a port on a gateway to connect the call to the customized message.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein when the profile does not contain the caller identification information, then sending an instruction to link a port on a gateway to connect the call to a general message.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein when the profile does not contain the caller identification information, then sending an instruction to connect the call to the called number.  
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein receiving the caller identification information comprises receiving a calling number.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising linking the caller identification information to the customized message.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a password with the call to authenticate a calling party.  
   
   
       19 . A system, comprising: 
 means for receiving caller identification information associated with a call to a called number;    means for querying a profile database for a profile associated with the called number;    means for querying the profile for the caller identification information; and    when the profile contains the caller identification information, then means for retrieving a customized message associated with the caller identification information.    
   
   
       20 . A memory storing instructions for performing a method, the method comprising: 
 receiving caller identification information associated with a call to a called number;    querying a profile database for a profile associated with the called number;    querying the profile for the caller identification information; and    when the profile contains the caller identification information, then retrieving a customized message associated with the caller identification information.