Abstract: A method of operating a virtual private network includes the steps of: (a) dialing a custom number; (b) receiving the custom number at a switch (20) of a first carrier; (c) routing the call to a switch (18) of a second carrier based on having received the custom number; and (d) when the call to the switch (18) of the second carrier includes a plain old telephone number translation of the customer number, routing the call over the second carrier to a service switching point (26) of a third carrier.

Abstract: The invention uses the advanced intelligent network to provide caller identification for calls placed over the internet (24). A long distance call placed with an internet carrier results in the originating SSP (14) forwarding the call to an originating POP (22) for the internet carrier. The caller ID information is routed through the signaling system 7 network (16) to the SSP (32) in the terminating network. The call is routed to a terminating POP (26) and then to the SSP (32) in the terminating network. The SSP (32) inserts the caller ID information received through the SS7 network (16) and routes the call to the terminating line (30).

Abstract: A speaker verification method consist of the following steps: (1) generating a code book (42) covering a number of speakers having a number of training utterances for each of the speakers; (2) receiving a number of test utterances (44) from a speaker; (3) comparing (46) each of the test utterances to each of the training utterances for the speaker to form a number of decisions, one decision for each of the number of test utterances; (4) weighting each of the decisions (48) to form a number of weighted decisions; and (5) combining (50) the plurality of weighted decisions to form a verification decision (52).