providing and maintaining a computer database that contains individuals' and/or enterprises' communications preferences and customized collections of communications information, such as preferred speaking languages, preferred communication modes, and groups of addresses, telephone numbers, pager numbers, fax numbers, e-mail addresses, URLs and/or personal information useful for a variety of call handling preferences; and, when requested by an individual or enterprise user, providing information or a service that is requested by an individual or enterprise user, providing information or a service that is requested by the user with the information or service being provided in a manner that is in accord with the user's preferences and information contained in the database, namely providing in accord with the user's stored preferences and information, driving directions, information about telephone directory listings or about matters such as weather, governmental agencies, restaurants, hotels, movies, sport events and other entertainment events, establishing telephonic communication between the user and another person, connecting the user with live operators or automated menus at any time during the telephone calls on request by the user, and automatically connecting the user with live operators or automated menus when telephone calls can not be completed, recording telephone messages directed to the user, forwarding recorded messages to the user via telephone and providing telephone numbers called to the user, making reservations on behalf of the user for restaurants, temporary lodging, golf tee times, and sports and entertainment events, providing special date reminders to the user, and providing information to the user about other topics of interest to the user