An enhanced
telephony call waiting feature and apparatus is provided wherein identifying information related to a
third party wishing to converse with a first party already communicating with a second party is provided to the first party during a mute condition in a manner that minimizes the time period of the mute condition. The method is fully compatible with existing services while allowing for new services. The method comprises the steps of the local switching office sending a
call waiting tone having predetermined characteristics to the first party and its apparatus responding thereto by generating an acknowledgment
signal. The apparatus then initiates a mute condition simultaneous with the ACK
signal generation, or in response to detection of a
carrier signal, or at some other time after exchange of the
call waiting tone and / or the acknowledgment
signal has occurred. Various methods are disclosed which initiate and terminate the mute condition in the apparatus of the first and second party to allow for the
receipt, storage, and display of caller identifying data while minimizing the period of time the first and second party are muted from communicating. The first party may either accept or reject the waiting call in the conventional manner as based on the
third party identifying information. Notch filters may be utilized to eliminate frequency components associated with an
acknowledgement signal to maximize time available for conversation.