Abstract: There is provided a method of enabling media bypass for a media gateway in a telecommunications network which includes a plurality of media gateways via which a signaling path for transfer of signaling information for setup of a communication session between endpoint devices can be established and via which a media path for transfer of media data between the endpoint devices during the communication session can be established.

Abstract: A method for providing text messaging services to subscribers in a telecommunications network is presented. Each of the subscribers has subscriber equipment that includes a telephone and television equipment. The method includes receiving first key stroke data corresponding to at least one text character associated with a text message, the first key stroke data having been input by the subscriber on a telephone, and providing first text prediction data, obtained from a lookup of the first key stroke data in a text prediction database, for display via the television equipment, the first text prediction data including predicted text for the text character in the text message being created.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments allow telephony services of different types to be provided by a telephone company at a service platform for telephone calls received at a local telephone exchange belonging to the telephone company, but which does not itself support services those different types of services. Additional embodiments allow for disabling a subscriber-configurability feature for a service of a first service type on the local exchange so as to prevent or inhibit a subscriber from configuring a setting which may interfere with services provided on the service platform.

Abstract: The invention relates to the generation of configuration data for use in the migration of telephone switching systems. Configuration data for use in the migration of subscribers from a first telephone switching system over to a second telephone switching system in a telecommunications network is generated by monitoring signaling information on telephone channels associated with subscribers for telephone calls conducted via the first telephone switching system. The monitored signaling information is then analyzed in relation to call data produced by the first telephone switching system for the calls to identify relationships between the monitored signaling information and call data for calls conducted by subscribers. Configuration data based on the identified relationships is then stored and used to configure the second telephone switching system with mappings between the associated telephone channels and the telephone dialing numbers for subscribers.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention, include provision of enhanced telephony services for telephone calls received at local telephone exchange switches which do not themselves support identification of enhanced telephony service users and the associated triggering to initiate the provision of enhanced telephony services. Using a supported number portability mechanism, local telephone exchange switches allow provision of enhanced telephony services.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatus for providing one-telephone dialing number telephony services where only a single telephone dialing number is required for each subscriber, despite each subscriber having multiple telephony devices on which they wish to be contacted. Calls to a one-telephone dialing number telephony service subscriber may be detected at a telephone switch using one or more triggers configured in association with a device-shared telephone dialing number allocated to the subscriber. Upon receipt of a call connection request to a subscriber, control of the call is assumed, for example by redirecting the call to a service platform capable of generating multiple call connection requests. Multiple outgoing call connection requests are transmitted to multiple telephony devices, including a mobile telephone, associated with the device-shared telephone dialing number allocated to a subscriber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a single service destination in a telecommunications network is disclosed. In particular, but not exclusively, disclosed embodiments relate to the provision of a single mailbox for multi-service users having access to a plurality of different telephony services.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for controlling the delivery of media data to a plurality of target devices in a target network is disclosed. The system, method, and apparatus allows for control of the delivery of media data from a source device to a plurality of target devices in a target network to be carried out remotely to the target network, but without the need for media data to pass out from or back into the target network via the access network.

Abstract: The present application relates to databases and methods for storing and searching data in database tree structures. In particular, but not exclusively, the present application relates to the processing of data stored in database tree structures for use in data packet routing applications. A method of searching a database using a search key is disclosed in which the database contains data stored in a tree structure. The tree structure includes a plurality of nodes. Data relating to a first node and a second node is stored in the database. The data includes a first node key and a second node key which is prefixed by the first node key. The tree structure is searched using a search key by traversing the second node and determining if said first node key has a prefix which matches said search key.

Abstract: This invention provides methods and apparatus for providing customized prior-to-answer and in-call media playback telephony services. The services allow for playback of customized media content to calling parties in the form of customized ringback tones, engaged tones, call holding, call transfer tones and other content such as pre-recorded announcements. The media content for playback is stored in equipment associated with subscribers and playback of the media content is originated from the subscriber equipment. The invention allows subscribers to give their telephony services a personal touch as they can choose different items of media content for playback to different calling parties. As the media content is stored on subscriber equipment local to subscribers, no additional network resources such as data storage and data processing facilities are required.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing telephone calls in a packet-based telephony service is disclosed. A store of telephone party identifiers is maintained for multi-service users having access to the packet-based telephony service and an alternate telephony service. Incoming signaling information for telephone calls in the packet-based telephony service is monitored and outgoing signaling information may be altered with reference to the store. An alteration may involve replacing telephony party identification data associated with one telephony service for telephony party identification data associated with another telephony service. The invention allows a multi-service user to be consistently identified by other telephony users by a single telephony party identifier instead of one telephony party identifier for each service they subscribe to.

Abstract: When updating a running program in a system that uses a one-to-one backup program, fault-tolerance is lost while the backup program is itself being updated. To overcome this temporary loss of an available backup program, the number of backup copies of a software process is temporarily and dynamically increased during the software upgrade. The extra backup software processes may run on an unused processing unit or may run as an extra software process on a processing unit which is already performing a task. The technique may be applied to communication line cards.