It is typical that a user calls an information assistance service provider
to request information, e.g., a destination telephone number desired by
the user, and chooses to be connected to the destination number. It is
also typical that the information assistance service provider offers
enhanced assistance service features, e.g., a StarBack feature. In prior
art, to provide the enhanced service features, the user's call invariably
continues to be connected to a servicing switch associated with the
service provider after the user is connected to the destination number.
To efficiently utilize the limited capacity of the servicing switch, in
accordance with the invention, the user's call may be selectively
released from the servicing switch before the call is connected to the
destination number. Such a call release depends on certain criteria for
determining whether the user is a candidate for utilizing an enhanced
service feature after the call is connected to the destination number.