Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided in an integrated platform for automatic network data transport, procurement contracting, provisioning, contract fulfillment, customized billing feeds, and securing of bandwidth derivative financial instruments. This is achieved through the use of multiple bandwidth exchange nodes within carrier-neutral facilities at geographically separate locations. The system and apparatus provide contracted bandwidth between nodes as negotiated by virtual user and carrier agents, enabling for the securing of capacity futures contracts as well as a real-time means to determine current market pricing for bandwidth contracts and derivatives. This system creates the basis for a liquid bandwidth commodity and derivatives marketplace.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for global routing of electronic messages includes maintaining external and internal address information for each user of a messaging system, along with means for associating the external and internal address for any given user. Upon receipt of a signal embodying a message, the messaging system accesses a conversion table to translate the external address for the recipient to its associated internal address. Similarly, for messages being sent to outside recipients, the messaging system accesses a conversion table to translate the internal address for the originator of the message to an associated external address. For messages sent between users of the same system where the originator specifies an external address for the intended recipient, a dual translation may be performed to convert the internal originator address to an external address and the external recipient address to an internal address.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for routing a message embodied in a signal received by an electronic messaging system includes formatting a search key using address codes parsed from a user address specified in the message, where each of the address codes corresponds to a different level of specificity for the user address. An attempt is made to retrieve a record from a database of routing information using the search key. If no record is found, the address code corresponding to the most detailed level of specificity in the user address is stripped from the search key and another attempt is made to retrieve a record. This process continues until a record is successfully retrieved from the database or a predetermined base level of specificity is reached.