When an analog telephone subscriber is in an Internet session via a modem connection, he cannot be reached by telephone. The invention enables a message about a telephone service incoming during the Internet session.

A service system for providing a service to a user comprises an application accept unit (4) for accepting an application for registration from a terminal (1) together with a telephone number of the terminal, a recording module (5) for recording the telephone number as an application telephone number, a telephone call receiving unit (6) for receiving a telephone call, a comparing unit (6) for comparing a caller telephone number of the received telephone call with the application telephone number, and a registration module (5) for registering, when the caller telephone number is coincident with the application telephone number, the application telephone number as a registered telephone number.

A user on a data call, e.g., to the Internet, is prevented from establishing a data call immediately after an emergency interrupt has been initiated, and the fact that the emergency interrupt took place is brought to his attention. This is necessary because otherwise the emergency interrupt is likely to be perceived by a user connected to the Internet as simply a dropped line, in response thereto the user is likely to simply originate a new call to the ISP, and so may never become aware that there has been an attempt to bring to his attention, via the emergency interrupts, an extraordinary circumstance. The invention achieves this by transmitting from the telephone network a signal which is recognizable by the user's modem and which indicates that an emergency interrupt took place. Such an emergency-interrupt-occurred signal may be transmitted upon the occurrence of the emergency interrupt or after the line next goes off-hook. Such a signal may be in addition to or in lieu of dial tone. In response to detection thereof the user's modem may take appropriate action. For example, the modem will not initiate the dialing out for the next attempt to connect the ISP, but instead, the modem will hang up, so that an incoming call can be received. Furthermore, the auto answer mode of the modem may be disabled temporarily.

A central site such as an Internet Service Provider (ISP) monitors information requests incoming from devices on a network such as the Internet. If the incoming information indicates that the services of a remote, off-line computer is required, the ISP signals the off-line computer via an out-of-band signal. In response to the signal, the off-line computer connects to the Internet through the ISP in its normal manner, and subsequently responds to the devices.

A telephone routing system which provides notification to subscribers that an incoming telephone call has been received. In particular, the system is directed toward subscribers who employ their telephone line in order to establish a connection over the Internet. In the situation where an incoming call is received during an Internet session, the routing system provides notification to the subscriber that the call has been received. In particular, when the incoming call is received, an interactive screen display may appear on the subscriber's computer through use of the subscriber's PC software. The subscriber may be provided a selection of options on how the call should be routed. Once the instructions are received from the subscriber, the system routes the call accordingly.