Apparatus and method for network-initiated real-time multi-party communications

1. A method for providing telecommunications services in a telecommunications network, comprising the steps by a telecommunications service provider of:

monitoring data relating to communications initiation criteria for at least two communicants in the telecommunications network; and

initiating at least one of e-mail and instant-messaging communications between the at least two communicants by determining, by processing the data comprising temporal data comprising measures of elapsed time since the occurrence of a specified event or condition, that the criteria have been met.

2. A method for providing telecommunications services in a telecommunications network, comprising the steps by a telecommunications service provider of:

monitoring data relating to communications initiation criteria for at least two communicants in the telecommunications network; and

initiating at least one of e-mail and instant-messaging communications between the at least two communicants by determining, by processing the data comprising temporal data comprising measures of elapsed time between specified events or conditions, that the criteria have been met.

3. A method for providing telecommunications services in a telecommunications network, comprising the steps by a telecommunications service provider of:

monitoring data relating to communications initiation criteria for at least two communicants in the telecommunications network; and

initiating at least one of e-mail and instant-messaging communications between the at least two communicants by determining, by processing the data comprising temporal data comprising a specific time interval, that the criteria have been met.

4. A method for providing telecommunications services in a telecommunications network, comprising the steps by a telecommunications service provider of:

monitoring data relating to communications initiation criteria for at least two communicants in the telecommunications network; and

initiating at least one of e-mail and instant-messaging communications between the at least two communicants by determining, by processing the data comprising temporal data comprising a time range, that the criteria have been met.

5. A method for providing telecommunications services in a telecommunications network, comprising the steps by a telecommunications service provider of:

monitoring data relating to communications initiation criteria for at least two communicants in the telecommunications network; and

initiating at least one of e-mail and instant-messaging communications between the at least two communicants by determining, by processing the data comprising temporal data comprising a date range, that the criteria have been met.

6. The method according to claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 , wherein the telecommunications network is the Public Switched Telephone Network.

7. The method according to claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 , wherein the telecommunications network is a wireless telephony network.

8. The method according to claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 , wherein the telecommunications network is a wireless data network.

9. The method according to claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 , wherein the telecommunications network is the Internet.

10. The method according to claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 , wherein the telecommunications network is an intranet.

11. The method according to claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 , wherein the telecommunications network includes a wireless connection to the Internet.

12. The method according to claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 , wherein the telecommunications network is a cable television network.

13. The method according to claim 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 , wherein the telecommunications network includes at least two selected from the group consisting of the Public Switched Telephone Network, a wireless telephony network, a wireless data network, the Internet, an intranet, and a cable television network.

14. A method for providing telecommunications services in a telecommunications network, comprising the steps by a telecommunications service provider of:

monitoring data relating to communications initiation criteria for at least two communicants in the telecommunications network; and

initiating at least one of e-mail and instant-messaging communications between the at least two communicants by determining, by processing the data comprising network component status data, that the criteria have been met.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the network component status data comprise an addressable device type.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the network component status data comprise availability of an addressable device.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the network component status parameters comprise channel capacity utilization.

18. The method according to claim 14 , wherein network component status parameters comprise component failure tolerance.

19. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the network component status parameters comprise component failure history.

20. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the network component status parameters comprise network capacity utilization.

21. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the telecommunications network is the Public Switched Telephone Network.

22. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the telecommunications network is a wireless telephony network.

23. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the telecommunications network is a wireless data network.

24. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the telecommunications network is the Internet.

25. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the telecommunications network is an intranet.

26. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the telecommunications network includes a wireless connection to the Internet.

27. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the telecommunications network is a cable television network.

28. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the telecommunications network includes at least two selected from the group consisting of the Public Switched Telephone Network, a wireless telephony network, a wireless data network, the Internet, an intranet, and a cable television network.

29. A method for providing telecommunications services in a telecommunications network, comprising the steps by a telecommunications service provider of:

monitoring data relating to communications initiation criteria for at least two communicants in the telecommunications network; and

initiating at least one of e-mail and instant-messaging communications between the at least two communicants by determining, by processing the data comprising communicant-specific parameters comprising at least one of sex, race, age, native language, height, weight, physical characteristics, religion, sexual preference, political affiliation, educational attainment, personal income, net worth, activity interests, aesthetic preference, culinary preference, physical fitness, intelligence, possessions, and aspirations, that the criteria have been met.

30. A method for providing telecommunications services in a telecommunications network, comprising the steps by a telecommunications service provider of:

monitoring data relating to communications initiation criteria for at least two communicants in the telecommunications network; and

initiating at least one of e-mail and instant-messaging communications between the at least two communicants by determining, by processing the data comprising communicant-specific parameters comprising goods, services, or consideration offered by a communicant, that the criteria have been met.

31. A method for providing telecommunications services in a telecommunications network, comprising the steps by a telecommunications service provider of:

monitoring data relating to communications initiation criteria for at least two communicants in the telecommunications network; and

initiating at least one of e-mail and instant-messaging communications between the at least two communicants by determining, by processing the data comprising communicant-specific parameters comprising the price or other consideration offered for goods or services by the communicant, that the criteria have been met.

32. A method for providing telecommunications services in a telecommunications network, comprising the steps by a telecommunications service provider of:

monitoring data relating to communications initiation criteria for at least two communicants in the telecommunications network; and

initiating at least one of e-mail and instant-messaging communications between the at least two communicants by determining, by processing the data comprising communicant-specific parameters comprising the price or other consideration sought for goods or services by the communicant, that the criteria have been met.

33. A method for providing telecommunications services in a telecommunications network, comprising the steps by a telecommunications service provider of:

monitoring data relating to communications initiation criteria for at least two communicants in the telecommunications network; and

initiating at least one of e-mail and instant-messaging communications between the at least two communicants by determining, by processing the data comprising communicant-specific parameters comprising network component parameters, that the criteria have been met.

34. The method according to claim 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , or 33 , wherein the telecommunications network is the Public Switched Telephone Network.

35. The method according to claim 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , or 33 , wherein the telecommunications network is a wireless telephony network.

36. The method according to claim 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , or 33 , wherein the telecommunications network is a wireless data network.

37. The method according to claim 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , or 33 , wherein the telecommunications network is the Internet.

38. The method according to claim 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , or 33 , wherein the telecommunications network is an intranet.

39. The method according to claim 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , or 33 , wherein the telecommunications network includes a wireless connection to the Internet.

40. The method according to claim 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , or 33 , wherein the telecommunications network is a cable television network.

41. The method according to claim 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , or 33 , wherein the telecommunications network includes at least two selected from the group consisting of the Public Switched Telephone Network, a wireless telephony network, a wireless data network, the Internet, an intranet, and a cable television network.

42. A method for providing telecommunications services in a telecommunications network, comprising the steps by a telecommunications service provider of:

monitoring data including invariant data integral to the network's design relating to communications initiation criteria for at least two communicants in the telecommunications network; and

initiating at least one of e-mail and instant-messaging communications between the at least two communicants by determining, by processing the data, that the criteria have been met.

43. A method for providing telecommunications services in a telecommunications network, comprising the steps by a telecommunications service provider of:

monitoring data relating to communications initiation criteria for at least two communicants in the telecommunications network; and

initiating at least one of e-mail and instant-messaging communications between the at least two communicants by determining, by processing the data by artificial intelligence methodology, that the criteria have been met.

44. The method according to claim 42 or 43 , wherein the telecommunications network is the Public Switched Telephone Network.

45. The method according to claim 42 or 43 , wherein the telecommunications network is a wireless telephony network.

46. The method according to claim 42 or 43 , wherein the telecommunications network is a wireless data network.

47. The method according to claim 42 or 43 , wherein the telecommunications network is the Internet.

48. The method according to claim 42 or 43 , wherein the telecommunications network is an intranet.

49. The method according to claim 42 or 43 , wherein the telecommunications network includes a wireless connection to the Internet.

50. The method according to claim 42 or 43 , wherein the telecommunications network is a cable television network.

51. The method according to claim 42 or 43 , wherein the telecommunications network includes at least two selected from the group consisting of the Public Switched Telephone Network, a wireless telephony network, a wireless data network, the Internet, an intranet, and a cable television network.