1. A method for implementing customized rules for controlling customer communications, comprising: processing a request received from a remote source to customize a rule for controlling customer communications; providing an entry menu for customizing rules for controlling customer communications based upon receipt of the request to customize a rule for controlling customer communications, the entry menu including a selectable option to modify an existing customized rule for controlling customer communications and a selectable option to create a new customized rule for controlling customer communications; processing a request received via the entry menu to create a new customized rule for controlling customer communications; providing, based upon receipt of the request to create a new customized rule for controlling customer communications, an initial selection criteria menu to create the new customized rule for controlling customer communications, the initial selection criteria menu indicating whether the new customized rule will be built using a preexisting template or starting from initial blank rule criteria; processing a response received via the initial selection criteria menu indicating whether the new customized rule will be built using a preexisting template or starting from initial blank rule criteria; determining from the response received via the initial selection criteria menu whether the new customized rule will be built using a preexisting template; when the new customized rule will be built using a preexisting template, providing a list of preexisting templates for creating new customized rules for controlling customer communications, processing a received selection of a preexisting template from the list of preexisting templates, providing the selected preexisting template, accepting input to populate the selected preexisting template, and storing a new customized rule based on the selected preexisting template and including accepted input; when the new customized rule will be built without using a preexisting template, providing initial blank rule criteria for creating a new customized rule for controlling customer communications, processing a received selection of initial criteria from the initial blank rule criteria, providing a list of rule conditions for the selected initial criteria for the new customized rule, processing a received selection of rule conditions for the selected initial criteria for the new customized rule, and creating and storing a new customized rule based on the selected initial criteria and the selected rule conditions; providing a display describing the new customized rule; and processing communications in accordance with the stored new customized rule, wherein the stored new customized rule is implemented at an internal network node of a communications service provider in accordance with requests and selections received from customers using customer equipment, and wherein the stored new customized rule further includes a selected disposition for when the selected initial criteria and selected rule conditions are met.
1. A method for implementing customized rules for controlling customer communications, comprising: processing a request received from a remote source to customize a rule for controlling customer communications; providing an entry menu for customizing rules for controlling customer communications based upon receipt of the request to customize a rule for controlling customer communications, the entry menu including a selectable option to modify an existing customized rule for controlling customer communications and a selectable option to create a new customized rule for controlling customer communications; processing a request received via the entry menu to create a new customized rule for controlling customer communications; providing, based upon receipt of the request to create a new customized rule for controlling customer communications, an initial selection criteria menu to create the new customized rule for controlling customer communications, the initial selection criteria menu indicating whether the new customized rule will be built using a preexisting template or starting from initial blank rule criteria; processing a response received via the initial selection criteria menu indicating whether the new customized rule will be built using a preexisting template or starting from initial blank rule criteria; determining from the response received via the initial selection criteria menu whether the new customized rule will be built using a preexisting template; when the new customized rule will be built using a preexisting template, providing a list of preexisting templates for creating new customized rules for controlling customer communications, processing a received selection of a preexisting template from the list of preexisting templates, providing the selected preexisting template, accepting input to populate the selected preexisting template, and storing a new customized rule based on the selected preexisting template and including accepted input; when the new customized rule will be built without using a preexisting template, providing initial blank rule criteria for creating a new customized rule for controlling customer communications, processing a received selection of initial criteria from the initial blank rule criteria, providing a list of rule conditions for the selected initial criteria for the new customized rule, processing a received selection of rule conditions for the selected initial criteria for the new customized rule, and creating and storing a new customized rule based on the selected initial criteria and the selected rule conditions; providing a display describing the new customized rule; and processing communications in accordance with the stored new customized rule, wherein the stored new customized rule is implemented at an internal network node of a communications service provider in accordance with requests and selections received from customers using customer equipment, and wherein the stored new customized rule further includes a selected disposition for when the selected initial criteria and selected rule conditions are met. 4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one input to populate the selected preexisting template comprises an address book entry, and wherein the address book entry is identified as belonging to one of a plurality of address book categories.