Abstract: A system for monitoring phone numbers includes a computing device having at least one processor and memory associated with the processor. A telephone network supports a plurality of telephone numbers. For each of the phone numbers, the computing device is configured to detect call activity involving the phone number during a detection period having a preselected duration, determine an answer seizure ratio (ASR) for the phone number during the detection period from the call activity, determine a difference between the ASR during the detection period and an ASR from at least one previous detection period for the phone number, and determine whether the difference satisfies at least one preselected criterion. When the criterion is satisfied, the computing device instigates a procedure to investigate or repair the phone number.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed herein for an automated progressive dialer system. The system comprises maintaining a callee database for a calling campaign. A Presence registrar is maintains a list of call center agents, wherein the list comprises the agent's current state, account information and other metrics. An agent progressive dialer (APD) indicates an agent's current state to the Presence registrar and maintains an agent's open line to connect with a connected outbound call to a callee. One or more callees are selected to call based upon the agent's current state. Outbound calls are placed to the selected callee using a callee progressive dialer (CPD). Upon successfully connecting a call to a callee, the Presence registrar provides an available agent with an open line to receive the call. The CPD then bridges the successfully connected callee outbound call with the available agent's open line on the APD.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed herein for managing conference bridge communication sessions. The system and method involves receiving a plurality of calls containing user media from users into a conference bridge, then connecting the plurality of calls via a load balancer to a plurality of conference servers on a network. A master broker dynamically selects a master conference server from among the plurality of conference servers to which the calls are connected. Once the master conference server is selected, the master broker directs all other conference servers to bridge the user media for the calls that are connected to the master conference server. The master conference server receives the user media from each of the connected conference servers. The master conference server is able to organize and mix the various user media and return this mixed media to each of the connected conference servers and thereby back to each user.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for two-tiered load balancing on a hosted voice-over Internet protocol (VoIP) private branch exchange (PBX). The system includes a plurality of client devices, at least one device load balancer, and at least one call load balancer. The device load balancer identifies a device group to which each client device belongs; and a cluster of computing resources for processing calls for the device group. The cluster is assigned to the device group based on prescribed conditions. In response to a communications request, call load balancers in communication with the device load balancers dynamically determine if predefined conditions are currently being met within an identified cluster of computing resources. If the predefined conditions are currently being met, then the communications request for a primary client device associated with the request is established via one of a plurality of server nodes within the cluster of computing resources.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed herein for providing a bidirectional outage bypass for a hosted voice-over Internet protocol (VoIP) private branch exchange (PBX) system. An outage monitoring system is in communication with both the bidirectional bypass system and one or more bypass enablers that act at the direction of the bidirectional bypass system. The outage monitoring system detects outages and overloads, as well as, network failures between the VoIP PBX and the public switched telephone network (PSTN). The bidirectional bypass system, in response to detection of an outage, determines error-handling procedures for the bidirectional bypass based on bypass configuration data. The bypass enablers forward outgoing communications between a client device and the PSTN, in accordance the error-handling procedures, by bypassing components that are currently experiencing failures or overloads.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed herein for providing a unidirectional outage bypass for incoming communications via a hosted Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) private branch exchange (PBX) system to a session initiation protocol (SIP) device. An outage monitoring system is in communication with both the unidirectional bypass system and one or more bypass enablers that act at the direction of the unidirectional bypass system. The outage monitoring system detects outages and overloads, as well as, network failures between network components, the VoIP PBX, Client Devices and the public switched telephone network (PSTN). The unidirectional bypass system, in response to detection of an outage, determines error-handling procedures for the unidirectional bypass based on bypass configuration data.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed herein for providing a unidirectional outage bypass for outgoing communications from a session initiation protocol (SIP) device in a hosted Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) private branch exchange (PBX) system. An outage monitoring system is in communication with both a bypass configuration system and one or more bypass enablers that act at the direction of the bypass configuration system. The outage monitoring system detects outages and overloads, as well as, network failures between network components, the VoIP PBX, Client Devices and the public switched telephone network (PSTN). The bypass configuration system, in response to a detection of an outage, determines error-handling procedures for the unidirectional outage bypass system based on bypass configuration data.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed herein for providing mitigation of VoIP PBX fraud while having minimal impact on authorized VoIP PBX users. The method includes a system for detecting potential fraud based on multiple and configurable fraud indicators as well as historical data, which can be customized for individual users or groups, which in turn can trigger the other parts of the system to mitigate fraud. The system can terminate in-process calls that are potentially fraudulent and reset the network access credentials for the user accounts or device(s) that have been potentially compromised. The system can use historical data to block further calls from the compromised user accounts or devices to specific locations where the presumed fraudulent calls were directed. In a further aspect, the system and method can automatically reset the network access credentials for authorized users with minimal down time.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed herein for an automated progressive dialer system. The system comprises maintaining a callee database for a calling campaign. A Presence registrar is maintains a list of call center agents, wherein the list comprises the agent's current state, account information and other metrics. An agent progressive dialer (APD) indicates an agent's current state to the Presence registrar and maintains an agent's open line to connect with a connected outbound call to a callee. One or more callees are selected to call based upon the agent's current state. Outbound calls are placed to the selected callee using a callee progressive dialer (CPD). Upon successfully connecting a call to a callee, the Presence registrar provides an available agent with an open line to receive the call. The CPD then bridges the successfully connected callee outbound call with the available agent's open line on the APD.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed herein for account-based domain name system (Account-Based DNS) routing in an Internet Protocol (IP) service network. An IP device is provided for generating SIP or IP service requests. A configuration database that contains an association between a customer account identifier and an account-based DNS address is used by a provisioning service for assigning an account-based DNS address to the IP service request. A proxy server is configured to receive the IP service request. The proxy server is in communication with a server database comprising an association between the customer account identifier, the type of SIP service request and a plurality of feature servers, wherein the proxy server dynamically assigns a forwarding account-based DNS address to the SIP service requests based on the association in the server database so that the SIP service request is forwarded to the assigned feature server.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for two-tiered load balancing on a hosted voice-over Internet protocol (VoIP) private branch exchange (PBX). The system includes a plurality of client devices, at least one device load balancer, and at least one call load balancer. The device load balancer identifies a device group to which each client device belongs; and a cluster of computing resources for processing calls for the device group. The cluster is assigned to the device group based on prescribed conditions. In response to a communications request, call load balancers in communication with the device load balancers dynamically determine if predefined conditions are currently being met within an identified cluster of computing resources. If the predefined conditions are currently being met, then the communications request for a primary client device associated with the request is established via one of a plurality of server nodes within the cluster of computing resources.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed herein for indicating the status of a service queue and routing communications. The system maintains a server having at least a first service queue and second service queue. Each service queue comprises at least one or more individual agent device extensions. As calls come into the system, they are first handled by the first service queue. A server monitors performance parameters of the one or more individual agent extensions on a group communications line servicing the second service queue. A display device is provided for displaying the status of each agent in the second service queue based on the monitored performance parameters. The operator is able to use a switch board for transferring communications from the first service queue to the second service queue based on the indicated status of the second service queue.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed herein for managing conference bridge communication sessions. The system and method involves receiving a plurality of calls containing user media from users into a conference bridge, then connecting the plurality of calls via a load balancer to a plurality of conference servers on a network. A master broker dynamically selects a master conference server from among the plurality of conference servers to which the calls are connected. Once the master conference server is selected, the master broker directs all other conference servers to bridge the user media for the calls that are connected to the master conference server. The master conference server receives the user media from each of the connected conference servers. The master conference server is able to organize and mix the various user media and return this mixed media to each of the connected conference servers and thereby back to each user.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for two-tiered load balancing on a hosted voice-over Internet protocol (VoIP) private branch exchange (PBX). The system includes a plurality of client devices, at least one device load balancer, and at least one call load balancer. The device load balancer identifies a device group to which each client device belongs; and a cluster of computing resources for processing calls for the device group. The cluster is assigned to the device group based on prescribed conditions. In response to a communications request, call load balancers in communication with the device load balancers dynamically determine if predefined conditions are currently being met within an identified cluster of computing resources. If the predefined conditions are currently being met, then the communications request for a primary client device associated with the request is established via one of a plurality of server nodes within the cluster of computing resources.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed herein for providing mitigation of VoIP PBX fraud while having minimal impact on authorized VoIP PBX users. The method includes a system for detecting potential fraud based on multiple and configurable fraud indicators as well as historical data, which can be customized for individual users or groups, which in turn can trigger the other parts of the system to mitigate fraud. The system can terminate in-process calls that are potentially fraudulent and reset the network access credentials for the user accounts or device(s) that have been potentially compromised. The system can use historical data to block further calls from the compromised user accounts or devices to specific locations where the presumed fraudulent calls were directed. In a further aspect, the system and method can automatically reset the network access credentials for authorized users with minimal down time.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed herein for providing a bidirectional outage bypass for a hosted voice-over Internet protocol (VoIP) private branch exchange (PBX) system. An outage monitoring system is in communication with both the bidirectional bypass system and one or more bypass enablers that act at the direction of the bidirectional bypass system. The outage monitoring system detects outages and overloads, as well as, network failures between the VoIP PBX and the public switched telephone network (PSTN). The bidirectional bypass system, in response to detection of an outage, determines error-handling procedures for the bidirectional bypass based on bypass configuration data. The bypass enablers forward outgoing communications between a client device and the PSTN, in accordance the error-handling procedures, by bypassing components that are currently experiencing failures or overloads.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed herein for providing a unidirectional outage bypass for outgoing communications from a session initiation protocol (SIP) device in a hosted Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) private branch exchange (PBX) system. An outage monitoring system is in communication with both a bypass configuration system and one or more bypass enablers that act at the direction of the bypass configuration system. The outage monitoring system detects outages and overloads, as well as, network failures between network components, the VoIP PBX, Client Devices and the public switched telephone network (PSTN). The bypass configuration system, in response to a detection of an outage, determines error-handling procedures for the unidirectional outage bypass system based on bypass configuration data.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed herein for providing a unidirectional outage bypass for incoming communications via a hosted Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) private branch exchange (PBX) system to a session initiation protocol (SIP) device. An outage monitoring system is in communication with both the unidirectional bypass system and one or more bypass enablers that act at the direction of the unidirectional bypass system. The outage monitoring system detects outages and overloads, as well as, network failures between network components, the VoIP PBX, Client Devices and the public switched telephone network (PSTN). The unidirectional bypass system, in response to detection of an outage, determines error-handling procedures for the unidirectional bypass based on bypass configuration data.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for two-tiered load balancing on a hosted voice-over Internet protocol (VoIP) private branch exchange (PBX). The system includes a plurality of client devices, at least one device load balancer, and at least one call load balancer. The device load balancer identifies a device group to which each client device belongs; and a cluster of computing resources for processing calls for the device group. The cluster is assigned to the device group based on prescribed conditions. In response to a communications request, call load balancers in communication with the device load balancers dynamically determine if predefined conditions are currently being met within an identified cluster of computing resources. If the predefined conditions are currently being met, then the communications request for a primary client device associated with the request is established via one of a plurality of server nodes within the cluster of computing resources.