APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AUTOMATIC ANSWERING SERVICE OF PORTABLE TELEPHONE IN A BASE STATION UNIT

An apparatus and method for controlling an automatic answering service in a base station unit even when the portable telephone is in a non-serviceable state. The apparatus includes a voice announcement message recorder/playback circuit for recording and playing back a voice announcement message that informs the caller that the portable telephone is in a non-serviceable state and requests the caller to leave a message. A caller message recorder/playback circuit records and plays back the caller's message. A controller checks the operation state of the portable telephone upon sensing an incoming call, causes the voice announcement message recorder/playback circuit to playback the voice announcement message to the caller when the portable telephone is in a non-serviceable state, and subsequently causes the caller message recorder/playback circuit to playback the caller's message to the portable telephone when the portable telephone is in a serviceable state.