International telephone network the information, condition and usability of switches

摘要

A method of distributing telephone and/or telephone subscriber status/availability information comprises receiving information at a relay centre (8,9) from each of a multiplicity of status/availability terminals (1,10). This information corresponds to the status/availability of a telephone and/or telephone subscriber and/or telephone line associated with the sending status/availability terminal (1,10). Information received at the relay centre (8,9) from each sending status/availability terminal (1,10) is immediately relayed to a group of other status/availability terminals (1,10) associated with the sending terminal. At each receiving status/availability terminal (1,10), the received status/availability information is displayed on a display (3) of the terminal to advise the subscriber of the current status/availability of other subscribers in which he is interested.