Communication systems are well known in which a calling party (using, for example, a wireless or wireline phone) may initiate a call to a called party (also using, for example, a wireless or wireline phone). Typically, the call is initiated by the calling party going “off hook” and dialing a directory number associated with the called party phone, causing a network infrastructure to setup communication resources for the call and ring the called party phone. Once the called party answers the phone, an active call session is established and the parties may communicate via the communication resources established for the call. Most typically, the communication is a voice communication, but other forms of communication (e.g., data, video, fax, etc.) are also known.
A problem that arises is that once the called party answers the phone and the active call session is established, the called party may unilaterally place the calling party on hold. When on hold, the calling party has no ability to communicate with the called party and often has no idea when the called party will resume the call. At times, the called party may even forget that the calling party is on hold. Clearly, this is can be very frustrating to the calling party, most particularly when the calling party only needs or desires a brief communication with the called party. Even so, the only option available to the calling party in such case (other than to remain on hold) is to hang up and terminate the call. Adding insult to injury, if the calling party chooses to remain on hold, the network presumes for billing purposes that the parties are actively communicating during the active call and hence will bill for the entire call. As such, the calling party is not only inconvenienced but may be unfairly billed, it seems, for the time placed on hold. A related problem is that assigned network resources are not fully utilized during the hold portion of an active call, yet they remain reserved until such time as the call is terminated; and such resources could more efficiently be used for other calls.