Abstract: Service resource items (49) for use in call setup in a telephone system are held on servers (58) that are connected to a computer network which is logically distinct from the telephone system infrastuture; this computer network may, for example, make use of the Internet. Each service resource item (49) is locatable on the network at a corresponding URI and is associated with a particular telephone number. A mapping is provided between telephone numbers and the URIs of associated service resource items. When it is desired to access a service resoce item (49) associated with a particular telephone number, this mapping is used to retrieve the corresponding URI (step 55) which is then used to access the desired service resource item (56, 57, 59).

Abstract: A method of accessing service resource items for use in setting up bearer channels through a switched telecommunications system including the step of provisioning one or more servers connected to a computer network with a plurality of service resource items that are located with corresponding known URIs. The computer network is logically distinct from a telecommunications system and the service resource items relate to setup control for bearer channels through the telecommunications system. Each of the service resource items is associated with a respective predetermined code. The predetermined codes are distinct from the URIs and identify end-point entities for the bearer channels. The method also includes providing a mapping between the predetermined codes and the known URI of the service resource item associated with its predetermined code.

Abstract: Service resource items (49) for use in call setup in a telephone system are held on servers (58) that are connected to a computer network which is logically distinct from the telephone system infrastructure; this computer network may, for example, make use of the Internet. Each service resource item (49) is locatable on the network at a corresponding URI and is associated with a particular telephone number. A mapping is provided between telephone numbers and the URIs of associated service resource items. When it is desired to access a service resource item (49) associated with a particular telephone number, this mapping is used to retrieve the corresponding URI (step 55) which is then used to access the desired service resource item (56, 57, 59).

Abstract: Content items (49) are held on Internet servers (51) with each item being locatable at a corresponding URI and having an associated identifying number (“1234567”) that can be input using a telephone keypad. A PSTN is provided with an intelligent peripheal (70) that has connectivity with the Internet (50). To access a particular content item (49), a telephone user (A) inputs a service designator code (“333”) followed by the identifying number (“1234567”) of the required content item (49). The intelligent peripheral (70) translates the input identifying number to the URI of the required item. This URI is then used by the intelligent peripheral (70) to retrieve the required content item and deliver it to the telephone user (A), typically as a speech rendition of the item.

Abstract: A method of accessing a target entity over a communication network employs a distributed database system similar top the DNS of the Internet; indeed the DNS may be used as the required distributed database. The distributed database stores records, each associated with a corresponding domain name and holding communication data for use in accessing a target entity. Each of these domain names are related to a respective number string from which it can be derived by a process including parsing at least a substantial portion of the number string into at least a part of said domain name. Upon the input of a number indicative of a target entity, the related domain name is formed by parsing the number and the domain name is then used to retrieve the corresponding communication data from the DNS-type distributed database system. This data is then used in accessing the target entity.