Abstract: An apparatus and/or method for routing international telephone calls to a communications device of a particular subscriber in a country and in an area of the country having an area code. A illustrative embodiment is a system for routing an international telephone call from a caller to a specific communications device situated in a country identified by a country calling code and in an area of the country identified by an area code, said system comprising: means for assigning a first telephone number to a particular subscriber; and means for routing the telephone call to the specific communications device of the particular subscriber; wherein the country calling code is a first two-character abbreviation for a country or dependent area; and wherein the area code is a second two-character abbreviation for a state, province, possession or military state.

Abstract: A disclosed method for providing service provider information to a user communication device includes determining a telecommunications service provider associated with a targeted node such as a called party telephone number. An indicator of the telecommunications service provider is provided to and displayed by the user communication device. Communication services available to the communication device are then determined based at least in part on the identity of the telecommunications service provider. Indications of the available communication services may be presented to the communication device by audible or visual signals.

Abstract: An approach is provided for using on-network communication services for wireless calls. Dialed digits associated with a call originated from a wireless network are received. It is then determined whether the dialed digits include either a steering digit or a pre-determined prefix. The call is routed according to an abbreviated dialing plan if the steering digit or the pre-determined prefix is present.

Abstract: A client-server telephone call router system as part of a customer premises system has a client-server router adapted to execute on a telephony switch, such as a public branch exchange (PBX) or other telephony switch, or on a processor connected by CTI link to a telephony switch. The telephony switch or processor executing the router is connected to a local area network (LAN) that also interconnects computer workstations proximate to telephones connected to the telephony switch. Client user interface applications run on the computer workstations, allowing clients to edit routing rules for the router, which has a list of routing rules keyed to users and workstations of the customer premises system. The editing rules are kept by the router in portions dedicated to individual users. With this system a user can edit at a workstation on the LAN his\her own routing rules, and transmit the edits to the client-server router where the rules will be followed to route calls for that user and protocol.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method and apparatus for enabling a subscriber to establish a call to at least one destination phone number using an email address. Specifically, the method comprises receiving an incoming communication request from the subscriber for establishing the call (where the incoming communication request comprises an email address), determining at least one destination phone number associated with the email address, and processing the call using at least one of the at least one destination phone number associated with the email address.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing a country code identifier in an international ENUM system are disclosed. According to one method, a message is received that includes a telephone number and information associated with a country of origin of the telephone number. A country code identifier may be determined for the telephone number based on the information associated with the country of origin of the telephone number. Further, the country code identifier may be appended to the telephone number of the received message.

Abstract: Aspects relate to authorizing mobile devices for PBX-based voice services. A mobile device calls a PBX over a voice channel, and phone number identifier information is obtained and matched to identifier information for devices that known (authorizeable) to use the PBX. If there is one incoming call that matches to a given device, and an authentication token provided over a data channel matches an authentication token associated with that device, then the device is authorized for voice services. Where there are multiple matching calls, those devices are instructed to provide authentication tokens over their voice channels. The devices can detect absence of a data channel and provide authentication tokens over the voice channels; the devices also can wait to receive a call connected response and in the absence of such provide their authentication tokens over the voice channel. Tokens can be requested and downloaded for storage at the devices.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for detecting and terminating a looping condition occurring in a telecommunications network comprising receiving a call offer comprising receiving call identification data associated with the call offer at a switching component, querying a looping engine using the call identification data to detect a looping condition, identifying a number of occurrences of the call identification data within a predetermined time frame, comparing the number of occurrences against a predetermined count, and returning a message to the switching component based on the comparison, the message indicating whether a looping condition exists in the telecommunications network.

Abstract: A system for scheduling resources and rules for routing includes a server connected to a network, a scheduling application executable from the server, and at least one programmable software agent for scheduling routing rules. The scheduling application receives statistics about forecast arrival rates for incoming interactions and current resource availability data and schedules resources and routing rules according to the forecast requirements the software agent propagating the portion of scheduling relative to the routing rules.

Abstract: A system is provided comprising a computer with processor, memory, and an application establishing a communication link with a mobile device provisioned with a first service on a wireless network. At least a portion of the link is provided by a wireless link over infrastructure of the network. The system also instructs the device to deactivate a key guard of the device, maps a first service indicator for a first network to a second indicator for a second network, instructs a provisioning system to remove the first service indicator from a service configuration of the device, and instructs the provisioning system to add the second service indicator to the service configuration of the device. The system also instructs a voice mail server to migrate a first voice mail data structure for the device based on the first service to a second structure for the device based on a second service, deprovisions the first service, and provisions the second service.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing routing of calls in a packet network, e.g., a Voice over Internet Protocol (IP) network, using one or more criteria extracted from signaling information to determine the routing for the calls are disclosed. In one embodiment, the routing criteria extracted from signaling messages comprises at least one of: an access Uniform Resource Identifier, a destination phone number, a destination URI host, a calling party number, a calling party URI host, an incoming IP address, or a requested codec. An access URI and the egress URI are used to enhance routing decisions in a VoIP network. For instance, the egress URI can be used to specify egress route selections from the egress point of a VoIP network. The access URI can be used to influence the routing decisions within the VoIP network as well as the routing decisions with regard to egress routes from the egress point of the VoIP network.

Abstract: A variety of methods, systems, devices and arrangements are implemented for communications using a mobile communications device. In connection with various embodiments, one such method relates to routing calls specifying an endpoint device, from a mobile communications device to the endpoint device, using a call forwarding/routing service provider that establishes a connection with the endpoint device. The established connection may include, for example, a Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) connection. In some implementations, the authentication server is contacted (e.g., via the Internet) to authenticate the call to be made via the call forwarding/routing service provider.

Abstract: In a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system for completing telephone calls over the Internet, the system uses a general routing table and client exception routing tables to instruct originating gateways about how to complete calls. When a call request for a particular client is received, the system first looks to that client's exception routing table to see if routing information for the call is available. If so, the system will use the routing information in the client's exception routing table to complete the call. The routing information in the client's exception routing table could include information about preferred destination gateways and/or preferred Internet Service Providers. If the client's exception routing table does not contain information that could be used to route the call, then the system simply uses the routing information in the general routing table. In some situations, the system could utilize multiple general routing tables.

Abstract: System and method for providing a telecommunication transmission from an originating device to a terminating device over a telecommunications network. In one embodiment a bit code may be received from the telecommunication network, such that the bit code is extracted from the telecommunication transmission from the originating device. A directory number associated with the originating source may be received and a predefined message may be determined based at least on the directory number and bit code. The predefined message may be displayed on the terminating device.

Abstract: A routing software application for predicting a best routing destination from a pool of considered routing destinations for an incoming event into a communications routing system has a detection module for detecting the arrival of the event for routing; at least one instance of an information gathering routine for gathering and compiling information about the considered destinations; at least one reporting module for organizing and reporting the gathered information; and a processing module for computing values from the gathered information and selecting the best routing destination based on isolation of the best computed value. In a preferred embodiment scalar load information per media type and per destination and agent skill information related to at least media skills per type of media per destination is processed by the processing module, which isolates, identifies, and selects at least the best destination for routing.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for number portability with local directory number support are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter herein includes a system for providing number translation with local directory number support. The system includes a communications node for receiving, from a message source, a first message that includes information identifying a subscriber. The system also includes a number translation module, operatively associated with the communications node, for determining a network address and a local directory number associated with the identified a subscriber, and for at least one of: including the network address and local directory number in the first message and forwarding the first message to a destination of the first message; and including the network address and local directory number in a second message and sending the second message to the source of the first message.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing a quality of service (QoS) using E.164 number mapping (ENUM) data in a communications network. According to one method, a query message including an E.164 number can be received. Next, at least one uniform resource identifier (URI) associated with the E.164 number can be located. Afterwards, QoS data corresponding to the at least one URI is subsequently obtained. Further, the query message can be responded to with the URI and the corresponding QoS data.

Abstract: The invention relates to a data communications network and a method of operation thereof. A data communications network (14) is described which includes a call server (58, 60, 62, 64) for the purpose of signalling, and a routing server (66, 68) for the purpose of routing to permit communication between users of the network. The call server (58, 60, 62, 64) is operable to send a request to the routing server (66, 68) for the purpose of obtaining the identity of another call server (58, 60, 62, 64) to which it is required to communicate. The request is provided with a parameter which relates to the origin of the communication within the data network (14) to enable a desired routing of the communication through the network.

Abstract: A call is processed by examining a nature of address indicator in a signaling message associated with the call and allowing the call to complete in a jurisdiction associated with a national nature of address indicator if the nature of address indicator is international. A call is also processed by examining a nature of address indicator in a signaling message associated with the call. A number of digits associated with a calling party number in the signaling message is determined and the call is allowed to complete if the nature of address indicator is national and the number of digits associated with the calling party number exceeds ten.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing the cost of long distance phone calls is disclosed. Accordingly, an originating phone network is operatively connected to a first intermediate point, and a receiving phone network is operatively connected to a second intermediate point. Each intermediate point is operatively connected to communicate via a data network. Users on the originating and destination phone networks may communicate based on virtual numbers. The virtual number is preferably within the local calling area of the originating phone network. The first and second intermediate points route calls to any geographic location, regardless of distance, over the data network based on the virtual number. This provides the advantage of allowing a user on the originating phone network to access a user at a distant location for a price that is substantially similar to the price of a local call.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for transferring contacts among automatic contact distributors of an automatic contact distribution system. The method includes the steps of collecting information from a contact through an interactive voice response unit of a broker automatic call distributor of the automatic contact distribution system, incorporating the collected information into a SIP message, forking the SIP message from the broker automatic contact distributor to a plurality of other automatic contact distributors of the automatic contact distribution system and transferring the contact from the broker automatic contact distributors to one of the plurality of automatic contact distributors.

Abstract: A call manager includes a first device process that controls a first telephony device and that receives a call request from the first telephony device. The call request includes a telephone number associated with a second telephony device. The call manager also includes a call control module that receives the call request from the first device process, and the call manager further includes a route list control process that is associated with the telephone number and that receives the call request from the call control module. The route list process accesses a route list to determine a port of a gateway device that can transmit the call request to the second telephony device. The route list process communicates the call request to a second call manager that is coupled to the packet-based network and that controls the gateway device included in the route list.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for implementing feature interactions between an AIN-based service and a switch-based call-forwarding service. In the present invention, the switch-based call-forwarding generates an Off-Hook Delay (OHD) trigger. In response, the SSP suspends call processing and sends the forward-to number to the SCP. Based upon the SCP's determination of whether the forward-to number is for voicemail and other criteria such as time of day, day of the week, etc, the SCP determines whether the switch-based call-forward should be permitted or inhibited.

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a method comprising receiving a call setup request, and automatically providing an indication that the call setup request is being processed. At least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a method comprising providing a call setup request to a network, and receiving an indication that the call setup request is being processed. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. This abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope.

Abstract: A method of directing a call includes receiving a call connection request, the call connection request including an identifier associated with a called party. The method also includes determining a network category associated with the called party in response to receiving the call connection request and generating an instruction operable to direct the call connection request to a selected one of at least two networks accessible for communication by the called party. The network is selected by the instruction in response to the determined network category associated with the called party.

Abstract: A one number, multi-application, intelligent call processing system provides service benefits to a caller, a servicing location and/or a vanity number advertiser during a call, parallel to the call and/or post call in an integrated common architecture. The system utilizes VRU technology in conjunction with the national telecommunications network connected via Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) to a virtual telephone number database containing a nationwide master list of telephone numbers with attribute data items associated by Spatial Key linkage to each telephone number. The process of the invention is initiated by a caller dialing a selected telephone number to request information and/or services. Based on the number dialed, a caller or network provided ten-digit telephone number and VRU prompted for and received caller input, the system retrieves the application requested data from the virtual telephone number database and provides it to the network.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed that optimizes the background noise experienced by a party who is calling into a call center. Working as part of an overall call-assignment algorithm, the technique considers the acoustic noise that is present in the vicinities of multiple call-center agents who are otherwise satisfactory candidates to handle a call. The technique then selects an agent to handle the call who is associated with an optimal acoustic noise. Typically, the selected agent is associated with lowest background noise level. The background noise is monitored at each call agent's station by evaluating the signals that are present at the agent's microphone. Usually, this is done when a call agent is between calls and, as a result, is not using her headset at that moment. In other words, the background noise is actually measured, and the measurements are then used to assign a call agent to the incoming call.

Abstract: A system for correcting or updating a mobile identification number in a cellular telephone portion of a telematics unit installed in a vehicle allows service providers to resolve duplicate entries. A wireless service provider stores a triplicate entry in their HLR for cellular telephones associated with a number of telematics unit. The triplicate entry includes a MDN, a MIN, and an ESN. If a telematics unit's triplicate entry is an invalid combination, resulting, e.g., in call failure, the system provides an efficient mechanism whereby the service provider can update the MIN of each cellular telephone in one or more telematics units to eliminate duplicate entries.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and an apparatus for transferring a telephone call and associated data from an IVR system to a live agent or other system are provided. An exemplary embodiment may include a voice portal of the IVR system requesting an access number for a live agent and sending data associated with the telephone call to a CTI system. The CTI system may request and receive a routing label from a router and then send the data associated with the telephone call and the request for an access number to a call center using the routing label provided by the router. The CTI system may receive the access number from the call center and send the access number back through the IVR system to an exchange carrier for transferring the caller to the call center.

Abstract: An IP system receives a call placed to an ENUM address. The IP system transfers a signaling message indicating the ENUM address to a processing system. For a call to a ported number, the processing system translates the ENUM address into the LRN for a communication node that serves the called party and returns the LRN to the IP system. The IP system routes the call based on the LRN.

Abstract: Establishing a connection from a caller to a user using a pre-authorized credit from the user is described. A processor identifies one or more source identifications (IDs) for receiving pre-authorized credit for the incoming call. One or more destinations are specified to receive the incoming call. The processor defines a rule associated with the one or more destinations and the one or more source IDs. An interface receives the incoming call directed to one of the destinations from the caller. A storage area stores the defined rule. The incoming call and the caller are determined as a function of the one of the destinations, one or more identified source IDs and the defined rule. The pre-authorized credit is issued for the incoming call from the caller if it is determined that the incoming call to the destination satisfies the defined rule. The processor routes the incoming call to the user.

Abstract: Methods and systems for mapping user-defined identities in data communication networks. By mapping and translating identities based on a calling party identifier, a called party identifier, and the carrier instance, enhanced communication services are enabled. Enhanced communication services offer virtual private phone numbers, shared group numbers, and interconnection between different voice and messaging services and applications.

Abstract: A communication network and method are disclosed that block calls from a calling party based on the network access type of a called party. The communication network of the invention includes a permission system, an access system, and a call control system. Based on a call from a calling party to a called party, the permission system identifies permissions associated with the calling party. The access system identifies a network access type for the called party, such as wireless, circuit-based, etc. The call control element determines if the network access type for the called party is permitted by the calling party based on the permissions associated with the calling party. If the network access type for the called party is not permitted by the calling party, then the call control system releases the call.

Abstract: An Internet telephony registry 190 comprises a server 140 and an associated data store 160. Routing and/or policy data associated with telephone number strings are stored in the data store 160 in a tree data structure 240 and a data index map 230. The tree data structure 240 comprises parent nodes and leaf nodes and each parent node of the tree data structure 240 has ten child nodes. The tree data structure 240 stores an index associated with each telephone number string and the data index map stores routing and/or policy attributes 233 represented by the indices 232.

Abstract: Examples of the invention are used to provide a system and method for provisioning a telematics unit number based on a phone number already used by a customer. In examples, the telematics unit is provisioned with a number that aligns with a rate center plan, which is likely to result in a number that is local to a number the customer uses for dialing the unit and/or matches the area code of a number on the customer's account. In example a wireless telephone number is assigned to a vehicle telematics unit from an inventory of available wireless telephone numbers by querying the inventory to identify the wireless telephone number that matches one or more of the customer's home rate center, customer's NPA, customer's NXX, and customer's overlay NPA information based on a plurality of predetermined conditions.

Abstract: A one number, multi-application, intelligent call processing system provides service benefits to a caller, a servicing location and/or a vanity number advertiser during a call, parallel to the call and/or post call in an integrated common architecture. The system utilizes VRU technology in conjunction with the national telecommunications network connected via Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) to a virtual telephone number database containing a nationwide master list of telephone numbers with attribute data items associated by Spatial Key linkage to each telephone number. The process of the invention is initiated by a caller dialing a selected telephone number to request information and/or services. Based on the number dialed, a caller or network provided ten-digit telephone number and VRU prompted for and received caller input, the system retrieves the application requested data from the virtual telephone number database and provides it to the network.

Abstract: A method for using an LRN based query and response mechanism to effect subscriber cutover includes receiving an LRN based response message including a communications service subscriber identifier. The method further includes determining a cutover switch LRN associated with the communications service subscriber identifier. The method further includes inserting the cutover switch LRN associated with the communications service subscriber identifier into the LRN based response message and routing the LRN based response message.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for performing range-based directory number (DN) screening are disclosed. According to one aspect, the subject matter described herein includes a method for determining that a telecommunications device DN is within an allowed set of numerical ranges. The method includes creating a range tree for representing an allowed set of numerical DN ranges, wherein each range is defined by a numerical upper and lower bound, and storing the range tree in a memory device; receiving a telecommunications device DN to be analyzed; traversing the range tree from a root node of the tree, based on analyzing each digit of the DN, until a leaf node is reached; and determining, based on an attribute associated with the leaf node reached, whether the DN is within the allowed set of ranges.

Abstract: A system for determining whether to request additional telephone number resources for a telecommunications carrier. The system may include a first database operated by a telecommunications carrier and configured to store data indicative of telephone number usage of telephone numbers assigned to the telecommunications carrier. A computing device may be in communication with a second database via a network, the second database may contain telephone number usage information associated with multiple telecommunications carriers. The computing device may execute software to query the first and second databases to retrieve information associated with the telecommunications carrier (i) to determine current utilization of telephone numbers of a rate center and (ii) to determine months to exhaust of telephone numbers.

Abstract: A call management system enables each of multiple prospective callers to specify how to forward (e.g., direct or redirect) future calls to one or more target phone devices or users. For example, each of multiple persons provide call forwarding configuration information to the call management system. Upon initiation of a call by a user, the call management system intercepts and forwards a user's call in accordance with call forwarding configuration information previously provided by the user.

Abstract: A telecommunications system utilizes a central database to determine characteristics for international calls, to facilitate call routing for international calls, or both. The central database includes termination information for telephone numbers in multiple nations outside the North American Numbering Plan. In one aspect, an interexchange switch receives a termination number for an international call from a local exchange carrier and uses information from the central database to help complete the call. In another aspect, the central database receives a telephone number from a remote user such as interexchange carrier (IXC) and, in response, transmits termination information to the remote user to identify whether the telephone number uses wireless termination. The remote user may then charge a customer for wireless termination, if appropriate, possibly even before the remote user receives an invoice that reflects wireless termination charges from a foreign wireless carrier.

Abstract: When a call offer is received by a telecommunications peering network destined for a telephone number maintained within a peering database, the telecommunications peering network attempts to route the call directly to the peering partner telecommunications (e.g., broadband, voice over internet protocol, etc.) equipment. If the route fails with a corresponding destination unreachable failure code, the telecommunications peering network can attempt to determine whether or not the telephone number has been ported to a different provider. If the telecommunications peering network determines that the telephone number has been ported, the telecommunications peering network removes the telephone number from the peering database.

Abstract: An embodiment of a method includes determining a customer service plan identifier from information associated with a received call, determining a route plan associated with the identified customer service plan, and routing the call on a trunk group identified in the determined route plan. The method may further include determining a jurisdiction of the call based on a dialed number identified in the call, determining a local routing number (LRN) associated with the call, and using a portion of the LRN to determine the trunk group. An embodiment of a system includes a switch operable to select a route for routing a call received on an ingress trunk associated with a customer that subscribes to a service plan, wherein the switch is further operable to select the route based on the service plan subscribed to by the customer associated with the ingress trunk.

Abstract: An embodiment of a method includes generating one or more route plans, each route plan being associated with a service plan, and provisioning the one or more route plans on a core routing engine accessible by a softswitch for routing calls according to the one or more route plans. The one or more route plans may include an on-net route plan and an off-net route plan. An embodiment of a system includes a local route manager (LRM) configured to generate one or more route plans associated with one or more respective service levels that customers can subscribe to. The system may further include an inventory of trunk groups containing a plurality of trunk group identifiers (IDs), wherein trunk group IDs are marked as either on-net or off-net.

Abstract: When a call offer is received by a telecommunications peering network destined for a telephone number maintained within a peering database, the telecommunications peering network attempts to route the call directly to the peering partner telecommunications (e.g., broadband, voice over internet protocol, etc.) equipment. If the route fails with a corresponding destination unreachable failure code, the telecommunications peering network can attempt to determine whether or not the telephone number has been ported to a different provider. If the telecommunications peering network determines that the telephone number has been ported, the telecommunications peering network removes the telephone number from the peering database.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a telephone exchange apparatus includes a plurality of processors whose connect communication lines differing in communication protocol from one another, a memory which stores a plurality of items of protocol unique information to process communication signals corresponding to the plurality of processors, a communication controller which is connected to the plurality of processors via control buses with smaller transmission capacities than those of the plurality of communication lines and reads the corresponding-protocol unique information from the memory based on notified protocol identification information and makes the corresponding processor execute signal processing by the protocol unique information, and a call controller which notifies protocol identification information corresponding to a communication line to be added to the communication controller, when a setting request for a call is issued.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products provide advanced intelligent services. A dialed number is associated to an advanced telephony service. The advanced telephony service is associated to a virtual number in a service providing network. A call to the dialed number is received in a native transport network having limited or no capability of providing advanced telephony service. When the advanced telephony service is required, then the call is routed to the virtual number in the service-providing network to receive the advanced telephony service from the service-providing network.

Abstract: A call processing system for handling a call comprising a signaling interface configured to receive an initial address message wherein the initial address message identifies a calling party number, a processing system configured to process the calling party number to determine if the calling party number is in a first format accepted by a routing system and modify the initial address message if the calling party number is in a second format not accepted by the routing system, and the signaling interface further configured to transmit the modified initial address message to the routing system.

Abstract: A method may include receiving a telephone number mapping query associated with a call from a calling party to a called party. The method may also include identifying, based on the query, first routing information that identifies a call session control component to process the call, and second routing information that identifies a border control component. The method may further include forwarding the first routing information to the querying device, and forwarding the second routing information to the querying device when the query originated from outside a network servicing the called party.

Abstract: The present invention realizes a telephone system which enables calling with ease from an outside line to a desired extension telephone terminal in an extension telephone network having a plurality of representative numbers.