Method and apparatus for providing images for caller identification over a mobile network

Picture Caller Line Identification (PCLI) systems and methods are provided for enabling present and future mobile telephony systems to provide PCLI information to a called party. A PCLI system that interacts with a mobile telephony system includes a storage unit for storing PCLI information and a processor that is programmed to detect a request for a call from a caller to a called party, to retrieve PCLI information for the caller from the storage unit, and to forward the PCLI information to the called party. The processor may be further programmed to suspend completion of the call until verification of receipt of the call by the called handset to ensure that the PCLI information is available at the called party's handset prior to completion of the call. Mobile handsets that may be used with the PCLI system discussed above are also provided. A mobile handset for operating with a PCLI system includes an input to receive an image associated with a caller and to receive notification of the call from the caller, and a display that displays the images. The handset also includes a processor that is programmed to receive the image, to receive the notification of the call from the caller, and to respond to the caller. The processor may be programmed to send the image to the display after receiving the notification of the call from the caller.