	US 7,539,289 B2
	Selective deactivation of a voicemail system
La Veria Baker, Atlanta, Ga. (US); and David Scott, Norcross, Ga. (US)
Assigned to AT&T Intellectual Porperty I, L.P., Reno, Nev. (US)
Filed on Aug. 18, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/206,433.
Application 11/206433 is a continuation of application No. 10/180258, filed on Jun. 26, 2002, granted, now 6,985,563.
Prior Publication US 2006/0062357 A1, Mar. 23, 2006
Int. Cl. H04M 1/64 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 379—76 [379/88.12; 379/88.26]

18 Claims

1. A method for selectively deactivating voicemail services in a network-based voicemail system, comprising:

receiving instructions at the voicemail system for temporary deactivation of the voicemail services of a subscriber provided by the voicemail system;

receiving a call from a calling party directed to the subscriber at a subscriber's switch;

routing the call to the voicemail system for provision of the subscriber's voicemail services to the calling party;

determining whether the subscriber's voicemail services have been deactivated;

if the subscriber's voicemail services have been deactivated, determining whether a deactivation announcement is available for presentation to the calling party, wherein the deactivation announcement includes a message to the calling party that the subscriber's voicemail services are temporarily deactivated;

if the deactivation announcement is not available for presentation to the calling party, then disconnecting the call from the calling party directed to the subscriber;

providing a voice message to the subscriber;

if the subscriber's voicemail services have not been deactivated, routing the call from the calling party to the subcriber's voicemail services for allowing the calling party to leave a voice message for the subscriber;

providing the subscriber with an indication that the calling party has left a voice message for the subscriber;

after providing the voice message to the subscriber, eliminating an indication that the calling party has left the voice message for the subscriber:

determining whether the voice message provided to the subscriber has been designated as unheard; and

if the voice message has been designated as unheard, then reactivating the indication that the calling party has left the voice message for the subscriber.