SIGNAL DETECTION AND BLOCKING FOR VOICE PROCESSING EQUIPMENT

An apparatus for processing a telephone call, the apparatus comprising a telephone call processor adapted to receive via a first interface a telephone call comprising voice signals and data signals, the telephone call processor being further adapted: to generate an identifier for the telephone call; and while the call is in progress: to receive first information signals encoded in the data signals via a first interface and second information signals via a second interface; to associate the identifier with the first and second information signals; to generate a request based on the first and second information signals; to transmit via a data interface the request to an external entity; to receive via the data interface a message from the entity to identify success or failure of the request; to match the received message to the telephone call in dependence on the identifier; and to process the first and second information signals in dependence on the success or failure of the request.