Abstract: A shared (or “hosted”) IPTV system including intermediate IPTV facilities controlled by a host operator and accessible to one or more hosted operators pursuant to a shared service arrangement includes a gateway adapter for intercepting and manipulating operator transactions with the intermediate IPTV facilities. The gateway adapter is operable to modify operator calls directed to the intermediate IPTV facilities to include indicia of data uniquely available to the operator initiating the calls, the data having been logically partitioned into respective subscriber groups; and to forward the adapted calls to the intermediate IPTV facilities to invoke the operator transactions. Advantageously, execution of the adapted call provides the sourcing operator access to account information of its corresponding subscriber group while restricting access to account information of other subscriber groups.

Abstract: A spam filtering system and method are disclosed for filtering spam destined for a mobile communication device. In the spam filtering system, a processing system receives a message destined for a mobile communication device through an interface. The processing system processes the message based on first filtering criteria to make an initial determination whether the message is suspected of comprising spam. If the processing system determines that the message is not suspected of comprising spam, then the processing system transmits the message to a message center. If the processing system determines that the message is suspected of comprising spam, then the processing system processes the message based on second filtering criteria to make a final determination whether the message comprises spam. If the processing system determines that the message does comprise spam, then the processing system blocks the message.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for provisioning a private party telephony device for public call treatment on a temporary basis (for example, before allowing third party use of the device) and applying such public call treatment for call originations or terminations. Billing in public call treatment is arranged with assistance of an operator services platform with the user (for example, the third party user) of the private party telephony device. Advantageously, therefore, in public call treatment mode, the owner of the private party phone need not police third party use of the phone and will not be billed for such third party use. The owner may resume private call treatment when desired by converting the device from public mode to private mode.

Abstract: Caller ID information provided coincident to a Voice over IP (VoIP) call is validated by one or more network devices. An originating router detects an offered IP address associated with a calling party node, for example, upon receiving a SIP Invite message initiated by the calling party node. The originating router determines the validity of the offered IP address and hence determines the validity of the Caller ID information based on the validity of the offered IP address. The originating router sends indicia of the validity to a terminating router, connected to a called party node, by inserting a verification bit in the SIP Invite message and sending the transformed SIP Invite message to the terminating router. Alternatively, the terminating router may query the originating router for indicia of validity. Upon receiving the indicia of validity, the terminating router may notify the called party node and so inform the called party whether it can rely on the Caller ID information.