Abstract: In an environment of competitive local and interexchange carriers, offering number portability between local carriers serving a common region and between switches serving that region, each local carrier accesses a regional database to determine the identity of the carrier and switch serving a local customer. In addition, interexchange carriers access a national database to determine the identity of the carrier and switch serving the customer specified by the number dialed by an originating customer. For customers requiring high reliability service, alternate carriers can be used to serve such customers in case the primary carrier is unavailable; the databases identify these alternate carriers. Advantageously, this arrangement allows a high degree of freedom of movement of customers between carriers and geographic relocation without requiring a number change.

Abstract: This invention provides a means and method for updating two-tiered databases in a telecommunications system which support local number portability through call connection information sets stored on the databases. Pro-active updating is accomplished by tracking location, time and frequency of each switch querying the first tier centralized database for each stored call connection information set. At the time an update is made to a call connection information set at the first tier database, the set is offered to all second tier databases supporting individual switches which have queried the centralized database for that set. Second tier databases accept the set as an update, a new set or reject. Acceptance of a new set or rejection is dependent upon the set achieving a ranking based on recency and frequency of query above the threshold for storage. The second tier databases provide confirmation of set acceptance and rejection to the first tier database.

Abstract: The invention provides the capability for creating local number portability, enabling a telephone service subscriber to retain a phone number when the local switch servicing the subscriber changes. A database acts as a centralized source of call connection information. Two tiers of databases are used; local databases dedicated to local switches are first queried for call connection information matching the dialed number, and a centralized database serving all switches is subsequently queried if local database response is not sufficient for call placement. Each dialed number is correlated to a call connection a information set containing augmenting information to provide the equivalent of the actual service number for the subscriber for call placement. Call connection information sets are dynamically maintained and updated between the centralized database and the local databases.

Abstract: In an environment of competitive local and interexchange carriers, offering number portability between local carriers-serving a common region and between switches serving that region, each local carrier accesses a regional database to determine the identify of the carrier and switch serving a local customer. In addition, interexchange carriers access a national database to determine the identity of the carrier and switch serving the customer specified by the number dialed by an originating customer. For customers requiring high reliability service, alternate carriers can be used to serve such customers in case the primary carrier is unavailable; the databases identify these alternate carriers. Advantageously, this arrangement allows a high degree of freedom of movement of customers between carriers and geographic relocation without requiring a number change.