Enhanced voice mail caller ID

The present invention relates to voice mail communication, more particularly to the ability to provide the complete set of information, normally provided as 'Caller ID' information on the subscriber line, as an announcement accompanying a recorded voice mail message from the caller. For example, the voice mail system can obtain and announce the number and an associated name, with each voice mail message or for each call even if the caller did not leave a message. The telephone network is adapted to supply name and number information to a voice mail system with a forwarded call. The voice mail system stores the name and number type caller ID information in association with the subscriber's mailbox. The system may store this information even if the caller does not actually deposit a voice mail message. Later, while the subscriber reviews the mailbox contents, the system offers a verbal announcement of the name and number. A central office switching system may query a line identification database to obtain the name for a caller ID service to the customer premises, in which case, that switching system forwards the name and number to the voice mail system with the forwarded call. In an alternative embodiment, the voice mail system launches the query and receives the name in a response, through the interoffice signaling network.