Methods and systems for processing a communication from a calling party

1. A computer-implemented method, performed in a call processing system, comprising:

directing a communication system to present at a user communication device live, audible speech, received from a calling party, prior to detecting a call acceptance action by a user of the user communication device, and prior to directing the calling party to a voicemail service; and

directing the calling party to the voicemail service in response to the user not accepting an incoming call from the calling party and a presentation limit of the live speech being exceeded.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting the incoming call, being initiated by a third party communication device used by the calling party and directed to the user communication device over a first voice channel;

transmitting to the user communication device over a control channel a notification signal associated with the incoming call; and

detecting a connection made by the user communication device to a second voice channel supplied by the communication system.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:

transmitting to the user communication device over the second voice channel audio signals, generated by the third party communication device, that identify the calling party; and

preventing audio signals generated by the user communication device from being received by the third party communication device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising linking the first voice channel and the second voice channel in response to detecting over the control channel a call acceptance action made by the user communication device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising

identifying the calling party using an access code supplied over the first voice channel;

selecting, using the access code, an audio signal comprising the live, audible speech from the calling party, to form selected audio signal; and

transmitting the selected audio signal over the second voice channel.

6. A computer-implemented method, performed in a user communication device, comprising:

presenting live, audible speech from a calling party prior to detecting a call acceptance action by a user of the user communication device, and prior to directing the calling party to a voicemail service; and

directing the calling party to the voicemail service in response to the user of the user communication device not accepting a call from the calling party and a presentation limit of the live speech being exceeded.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving a notification associated with the call from a call processing system over a control channel signal; and

connecting to a voice channel supplied by the communication system in response to detecting the notification signal.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising preventing transmission of speech signals of the user over the voice channel to a third party communication device of the calling party.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving from the call processing system audio signals, transmitted over the voice channel by a third party communication device of the calling party, that identify the calling party associated with the third party communication device; and

conveying to the user over a loud speaker audible signals corresponding to the audio signals received from the call processing system.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:

detecting a manipulation of the user communication device by the user corresponding to a call acceptance action; and

transmitting over the control channel an acceptance signal, to the call processing system, requesting a direct connection to the third party communication device over the voice channel.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the audio signals received from the call processing system comprise the live, audible speech of the calling party and identify the calling party prior to detecting the call acceptance action, and prior to directing the calling party to the voicemail service.

12. A tangible computerized call processing system comprising:

a processor; and

a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform functions including:

directing a communication system to present at a user communication device live, audible speech, received from a calling party, prior to detecting a call acceptance action by a user of the user communication device, and prior to directing the calling party to a voicemail service; and

directing the calling party to the voicemail service when the user of the user communication device does not accept a call from the calling party and a presentation limit of the live speech is exceeded.

13. The tangible computerized call processing system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

detect the incoming call initiated by a third party communication device, used by the calling party, that is directed to a user communication device over a first voice channel;

transmit to the user communication device over a control channel a notification signal associated with the incoming call; and

detect a connection made by the user communication device to a second voice channel supplied by the communication system.

14. The tangible computerized call processing system of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

transmit to the user communication device over the second voice channel audio signals, generated by the third party communication device, that identify the calling party; and

prevent audio signals generated by the user communication device from being received by the third party communication device.

15. The tangible computerized call processing system of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to link the first voice channel and the second voice channel in response to detecting over the control channel a call acceptance action made by the user communication device.

16. The tangible computerized call processing system of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

identify the calling party using an access code supplied over the first voice channel;

select, using the access code, an audio signal comprising the live, audible speech from the calling party, to form selected audio signal; and

transmit the selected audio signal over the second voice channel.

17. A tangible computerized user communication device comprising:

a processor; and

a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium operating in a user communication device, the storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the user communication device to perform functions including:

presenting live, audible speech from a calling party prior to detecting a call acceptance action by a user of the user communication device, and prior to directing the calling party to a voicemail service; and

directing the calling party to the voicemail service in response to the user of the user communication device not accepting a call from the calling party and a presentation limit of the live speech being exceeded.

18. The tangible computerized user communication device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to receive a notification associated with the call from a call processing system over a control channel signal.

19. The tangible computerized user communication device of claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to connect to a voice channel supplied by the communication system in response to detecting the notification signal.

20. The tangible computerized user communication device of claim 19 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to prevent transmission of speech signals of the user over the voice channel to a third party communication device of the calling party.

21. The tangible computerized user communication device of claim 19 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to receive from the call processing system audio signals, transmitted over the voice channel by a third party communication device of the calling party, that identify the calling party associated with the third party communication device.

22. The tangible computerized user communication device of claim 21 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to convey to the user over a loud speaker audible signals corresponding to the audio signals received from the call processing system.

23. The tangible computerized user communication device of claim 22 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to detect a manipulation of the user communication device by the user corresponding to a call acceptance action.

24. The tangible computerized user communication device of claim 23 , wherein:

the instructions further cause the processor to transmit over the control channel an acceptance signal, to the call processing system, requesting a direct connection to the third party communication device over the voice channel; and

the audio signals received from the call processing system comprise the live, audible speech of the calling party and identify the calling party prior to detecting the call acceptance action, and prior to directing the calling party to the voicemail service.