Abstract: Calls made to a toll-free 800 service subscriber are routed to a subscriber's primary location via a telephone network switch operating in conjunction with a specially configured adjunct processor. The adjunct processor routes the call from the calling party to the primary location through a first call leg extending between the calling party, switch and adjunct processor. A second call leg is extended from the adjunct processor, through the switch to an alternate destination. The first and second call legs are bridged within the adjunct processor for completing the call from the calling party to the alternate location. After the called is bridged, the two call legs are released to and from the adjunct processor while merging the two legs within the switch so as to conserve adjunct processor resources for further incoming calls.

Abstract: Calls made to an 800 service subscriber are routed to the subscriber's primary location via a telephone network switch operating in conjunction with a specially configured adjunct processor. The adjunct processor is arranged to monitor the call even after it is answered by an attendant or other subscriber personnel at the primary location. If the call is to be redirected from the primary location to an alternate location, the adjunct is signaled, typically by a DTMF sequence. The adjunct responds by putting the calling party on hold and by initiating a call to the alternate location on an outgoing trunk of the network switch, in such a way that it emulates or imitates both the routing (call treatment) and billing the characteristics of a call made from the original customer location. Redirection can then be completed in one of three ways: blind transfer, consultation, or conference.

Abstract: A switching architecture is disclosed which includes a dual access ring structure interconnecting the location of a customer, a primary central office, a backup central office and a remote central office (hub office) which does not directly serve the customer location. The architecture enables transport of a customer's communications traffic to be automatically restored in the event a failure occurs in the primary transport route of the traffic from the customer location to the hub office via the primary central office by automatically selecting a transport route free of a failure. Such a failure is detected whether caused by a so-called "hard" failure or a so-called "soft" failure. Optionally, each type of automatic network reconfiguration is executed in a manner such that as soon as it is possible to employ the original configuration, the network automatically reverts to the original configuration, thereby easing network maintenance activity.