11. A method comprising: receiving, by a processor, as part of a chat-based service, a speech signal over a telephone connection; allocating resources and communication ports for conversion of audio information in the speech signal into textual information receiving commands by at least one controller from an intelligent gateway for coordinating connections between the receipt of the speech signal and the conversion of the audio information in the speech signal into the textual information, the at least one controller and the intelligent gateway being remote from each other; and converting, by the processor, the audio information in the speech signal into the textual information, the textual information is associated with an instant messaging session for transmission to an instant messaging application over a data connection, wherein the received speech signal is from a particular person, and the text information conveys one or more of a screen name, an image or iconic representation, and a sound bite, wherein the audio information includes information of one or more emotions, and wherein the converting includes converting the information regarding one or more emotions into one or more symbols corresponding the one or more emotions.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising: determining through the processor, that a communicating party has requested the conversion of the speech signal.