ADVANCED FEATURES ON A REAL-TIME EXCHANGE SYSTEM

1 . An apparatus for providing enhanced features for advanced voice services in a wireless communications network, comprising:

a wireless communications network for making calls to and from mobile units, wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the wireless communications network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the mobile units across bearer paths in the wireless communications network; and

a real-time exchange that interfaces to the wireless communications network to provide a Voice Short Message Service (SMS) message that comprises a short voice message, wherein a user sends the Voice SMS message to at least one contact, in a manner similar to sending a short text message, using their mobile unit.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the user initiates a call to a Voice SMS number associated with the contact, the real-time exchange provides an indication to the user to start speaking the Voice SMS message, the real-time provides for the storage of the Voice SMS message, and then the user then ends the call after completing the Voice SMS message.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the contact receives a text SMS message on their mobile unit indicating that the Voice SMS message has been sent, the contact dials a callback number for the Voice SMS, and then the contact listens to the Voice SMS message.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the real-time exchange deletes the Voice SMS message after a configured retention period or in response to a user command.

5 . A method of providing enhanced features for advanced voice services in a wireless communications network, comprising:

making calls to and from mobile units in a wireless communications network, wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the wireless communications network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the mobile units across bearer paths in the wireless communications network; and

providing a Voice Short Message Service (SMS) message that comprises a short voice message using a real-time exchange that interfaces to the wireless communications network, wherein a user sends the Voice SMS message to at least one contact, in a manner similar to sending a short text message, using their mobile unit.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the user initiates a call to a Voice SMS number associated with the contact, the real-time exchange provides an indication to the user to start speaking the Voice SMS message, the real-time provides for the storage of the Voice SMS message, and then the user then ends the call after completing the Voice SMS message.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the contact receives a text SMS message on their mobile unit indicating that the Voice SMS message has been sent, the contact dials a callback number for the Voice SMS, and then the contact listens to the Voice SMS message.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the real-time exchange deletes the Voice SMS message after a configured retention period or in response to a user command.

9 . An apparatus for providing enhanced features for advanced voice services in a wireless communications network, comprising:

a wireless communications network for making calls to and from mobile units, wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the wireless communications network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the mobile units across bearer paths in the wireless communications network; and

a real-time exchange that interfaces to the wireless communications network to perform a backup of an address book stored on a mobile unit via the wireless communications network for subsequent storage in a network server separate from the mobile unit.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a client application on the mobile unit detects a change to the address book stored on the mobile unit and automatically uploads the address book to the real-time exchange.

11 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein a client application on the mobile unit performs a periodic backup of the address book stored on the mobile unit by uploading the address book to the real-time exchange.

12 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the address book stored by the real-time exchange on the network server that is available via Internet access, such that any changes made to the address book stored on the network server are downloaded by the real-time exchange to the mobile unit via the wireless communications network.

13 . A method of providing enhanced features for advanced voice services in a wireless communications network, comprising:

making calls to and from mobile units in a wireless communications network, wherein the calls are initiated by call setup and in-band signaling within the wireless communications network and voice frames for the calls are switched between the mobile units across bearer paths in the wireless communications network; and

performing a backup of an address book stored on a mobile unit via the wireless communications network for subsequent storage in a network server separate from the mobile unit using a real-time exchange that interfaces to the wireless communications.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein a client application on the mobile unit detects a change to the address book stored on the mobile unit and automatically uploads the address book to the real-time exchange.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein a client application on the mobile unit performs a periodic backup of the address book stored on the mobile unit by uploading the address book to the real-time exchange.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the address book stored by the real-time exchange on the network server that is available via Internet access, such that any changes made to the address book stored on the network server are downloaded by the real-time exchange to the mobile unit via the wireless communications network.