Abstract: A telephony signalling element and method with a signalling processing function and a session datastore function. The signalling processing function has associated functions that are provided by one or more instantiations, and the session datastore function has associated functions that are provided by one or more instantiations. The instantiations allow for independent scalability of the functions in the telephony signalling element.

Abstract: A method of initiating a voice call via a dialler user interface on a user device in a telecommunications network is provided. The user device comprises at least a first communication client adapted to communicate via a first part of the telecommunications network and a second communication client adapted to communicate via a second, different part of the telecommunications network. The method includes, at the user device, receiving, via the dialler user interface of the user device, user input from a user of the device associated with initiating setup of a communication session, and selecting a given one of the first and second communication clients to pass the user input to for processing, whereby a communication session setup request is transmitted from the given communication client into the respective part of the telecommunications network.

Abstract: Measures, including methods, systems and computer-readable storage mediums, for use in processing notifications relating to telecommunication sessions. A cluster of servers is operable to receive incoming notifications where each server can process any given notification and update a store holding records based on previous notifications. The cluster may include a timer function to allow records to be closed when no relevant notifications are received after a timeout interval.

Abstract: A method of operating a call control node in a telecommunications network, the method comprising the steps of: establishing a telephony call between a first user and a second user; receiving a call control instruction, the call control instruction being for associating a to-be-established new call leg, between the call control node and a communications server, with the telephony call; establishing the new call leg between the call control node and the communications server; connecting the new call leg to the telephony call on the basis of the call control instruction, to make the communications server a party to the telephony call.

Abstract: Measures for use in processing data in a telecommunications network. A request message is received in relation to establishment of a communication session involving a given subscriber. Subscriber configuration data is received in relation to the establishment. The subscriber configuration data includes a set of one or more trigger points at which one or more application services should be invoked in relation to communication sessions for the given subscriber. At least one trigger point from the set of trigger points is encoded into an identifier for the communication session within the request message. The request message including the identifier for the communication session in which the at least one trigger point has been encoded is transmitted.

Abstract: Measures, including methods, apparatus and computer programs, for use in operating a network node. A method includes, at the network node: receiving a session initiation protocol (SIP) message directed towards a downstream network element, wherein the received message comprises session description protocol (SDP) data indicating a first SDP preconditions setting; forwarding the received SIP message on to the downstream network element with no modifications; in response to forwarding the received SIP message, receiving a rejection message from the downstream network element; on the basis of the received rejection message, determining that the first SDP preconditions setting is not supported by downstream device; generating a second SIP message comprising SDP data indicating a second SDP preconditions setting different from the first SDP preconditions setting; and transmitting the generated second SIP message comprising SDP data indicating the second SDP preconditions setting to the downstream network element.

Abstract: A signalling protocol routing system comprising at least one routing service module and at least one rules processing module, the signalling protocol routing system being capable of accessing additional routing service modules and/or rules processing modules when required. The routing service modules convert protocol messages into deconstructed protocol messages, so that a rules processing module can apply routing rules to the deconstructed protocol messages and determine a route for a message.

Abstract: A media gateway and method with a media session manager function, a media processor function, and a media session state datastore function. The functions are provided by one or more instantiations which allow for independent scalability of the functions in the media gateway.

Abstract: Measures are provided for use in establishing a telephony session between first and second telephony devices in a telephony network. Telephony network equipment in the telephony network receives, from the first telephony device over a signalling link, a telephony session establishment request. The telephony network equipment receives, from the first telephony device over a data link that is separate to the signalling link, a message comprising data useable by the telephony network equipment to identify the second telephony device. The telephony network equipment correlates the received telephony session establishment request and the received message. The telephony network equipment transmits, to the second telephony device, a telephony session establishment request on the basis of the correlating. The first telephony device is associated with a multi-persona user having a first persona associated with a first telephony identifier and a second persona associated with a second telephony identifier.

Abstract: Proxying Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) communications in a load balancing device. An outgoing SIP message is received from a session border controller device. The received outgoing SIP message comprises a routing control parameter in the form of a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). The received outgoing message comprises one or more additional outgoing routing control parameters different to the URI. The one or more additional outgoing routing control parameters have been originated at the session border controller device to control one or more outgoing routing characteristics at the load balancing device. The one or more additional outgoing routing control parameters are extracted from the received outgoing SIP message. The outgoing SIP message is forwarded to a peer device using the one or more outgoing routing characteristics on the basis of the one or more extracted outgoing routing control parameters.

Abstract: Processing signalling relating to a telephony session. A first telephony session establishment request relating to the telephony session is received. The first telephony session establishment request comprises a first telephony identifier as a calling party identifier. The first telephony identifier is replaced with a second telephony identifier. The second telephony identifier is different from the first telephony identifier. Call processing relating to the telephony session is enabled to be performed based on the second telephony identifier. The second telephony identifier is replaced with a telephony identifier other than the second telephony identifier. A second telephony session establishment request relating to the telephony session is transmitted. The second telephony session establishment request comprises the other telephony identifier.

Abstract: Processing signalling relating to a telephony session in a first telephony network. The session involves a telephony device associated with a second telephony network. A first message received from a first node in the first network comprises a first telephony identifier, associated with the first network, as a called party identifier. A second, different telephony identifier, associated with the first network, is identified. A second message transmitted to the first node comprises the second identifier as a telephony party identifier, whereby to enable call services to be provided in the first network on the basis of the second identifier. A third message, comprising the second identifier as a telephony party identifier, is received from the first node. A third telephony identifier, associated with the second network, is identified using the second identifier. A fourth message, comprising the third identifier as a telephony party identifier, is transmitted to the first node.

Abstract: Measures, including methods, systems and computer-readable storage mediums, for use in configuring virtual machines on a host device including a plurality of processing cores. A first virtual machine is configured to run on a subset of cores of the plurality. The first virtual machine is of a first type. A second virtual machine is configured to run on any of the cores in the plurality. The second virtual machine is of a second, different type. The first virtual machine is configured to have a first priority which is higher than a second priority of the second virtual machine such that processing resources are available to the first virtual machine when required by the first virtual machine instead of being available to the second virtual machine.

Abstract: Measures, including methods, systems and non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums, for providing a Domain Name Service (DNS) configuration service for one or more network services provided in a cloud environment. Update data relating to one or more relationship updates that have occurred in at least one of the one or more network services is received. The one or more relationship updates relate to one or more service provision units in a cluster of service provision units deployed in the cloud environment to provide the at least one network service. DNS policy configuration data associated with the at least one network service is identified. On the basis of the identified DNS policy configuration data, data in a DNS configuration data database is updated.

Abstract: Measures, including methods, apparatuses and non-transitory computer-readable storage media, associated with network orchestration. A model of a physical resources part of a network and a model of a virtualised resources part of the network are obtained. The physical/virtualised resources part of the network includes a plurality of physical resources/at least one virtualised network function and represents dependencies between different physical/virtualised resources in the physical/virtualised resources part of the network. At least one optimisation operation is performed using the models of the physical and virtualised resources parts of the network to identify an optimised mapping of the at least one virtualised network function onto at least one of the plurality of physical resources. The at least one virtualised network function is instantiated on the at least one of the plurality of physical resources based on the identified optimised mapping.

Abstract: There is provided a method for processing communications in a telephony network. The method includes configuring a first telephony identifier for communication with a first user and a second user, and a second telephony identity for communication with the second user, each of the telephony identifiers being configured for use as different destination addresses in different SMS messages sent to the second user. The method includes processing at least one SMS message in SMS processing equipment in the network, and during this processing, performing identity management, in relation to the use of the first and second telephony identifiers for the second user.

Abstract: Measures are provided for use in establishing a telephony session between first and second telephony devices in a telephony network. Telephony network equipment in the telephony network receives, from the first telephony device over a signalling link, a telephony session establishment request. The telephony network equipment receives, from the first telephony device over a data link that is separate to the signalling link, a message comprising data useable by the telephony network equipment to identify the second telephony device. The telephony network equipment correlates the received telephony session establishment request and the received message. The telephony network equipment transmits, to the second telephony device, a telephony session establishment request on the basis of the correlating. The first telephony device is associated with a multi-persona user having a first persona associated with a first telephony identifier and a second persona associated with a second telephony identifier.

Abstract: A first telephony identifier and a second telephony identifier are used for communication with a first, multi-identity user. Each of the first and second telephony identifiers are configured for use as different destination addresses in different SMS messages sent to the first user. At least one SMS message is processed in SMS processing equipment in the network, and the SMS processing equipment performs identity management, in relation to the use of the first and second telephony identifiers for the first user, during processing of the at least one SMS message.

Abstract: A network entity comprises an interworking function. The network entity is between an endpoint and a registrar in a telecommunications network. A message is received for the registrar from the endpoint, the message comprising data identifying an endpoint characteristic of the endpoint. A message is received for the endpoint. A processing action to be used to process the received message for the endpoint is determined based on the data identifying the endpoint characteristic of the endpoint comprised in the received message for the registrar from the endpoint. The received message for the endpoint is processed in accordance with the determined processing action.

Abstract: Measures, including methods, systems, non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums and computer programs for use in routing packet data. At a network switching device, a data packet is received from a device located upstream of the network switching device. The received data packet comprises routing data associated with a routing decision which has been taken for the data packet upstream of the network switching device. The routing data comprises an abstract media access control (MAC) address corresponding to a next hop destination for the data packet located downstream of the network switching device. At the network switching device, the abstract MAC address in the data packet is replaced with a real MAC address of the next hop downstream destination. At the network switching device, the data packet is forwarded towards the next hop downstream destination.