The present invention allows a user to audibly and interactively browse
through a network of audio information, forming a seamless integration of
the world wide web and the entire telephone network browsable from any
telephone set. Preferably a browser controller allows the user to receive
audio information and to transmit verbal instructions. The browser
controller links the user to voice pages, which can be any telephone
station or world wide web page, in response to voice commands. Upon
linking, certain information is played with an audio indicia which
identifies a linking capability. If the user repeats the information set
off by the audio indicia, the telephone number or URL of the selected
link is transmitted to the browser controller. The browser controller
establishes a new link with the identified telephone number or URL, and
if successful, disconnects the previous link. The originator no longer
needs to know of the existence of the receiver nor the telephone number
or URL of the receiver because this invention provides a method to browse
the entire telephone network and world wide web and to connect to a
receiver by saying the name of the hyperlink. This brings the power of
the world wide web to the telephone network. In effect, this invention
takes the PSTN from its current state as a set of more than 800 million
nodes including means to make pairwise connections and converts it to a
highly interconnected browsable web, as well as integrating it with the
entire world wide web.