Abstract: Methods, devices, and storage mediums for receiving, by an ingress network-to-network interface device, a signaling message to establish a communication session; adding an identifier that identifies the ingress network-to-network interface device; transmitting the signaling message that includes the identifier to another device of a network with which the ingress network-to-network interface device belongs; selecting an egress network-to-network interface device based on the identifier and a minimum path criterion between the ingress network-to-network interface device and the egress network-to-network interface device; and transmitting the signaling message to the egress network-to-network interface device.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and storage mediums for receiving, by an ingress network-to-network interface device, a signaling message to establish a communication session; adding an identifier that identifies the ingress network-to-network interface device; transmitting the signaling message that includes the identifier to another device of a network with which the ingress network-to-network interface device belongs; selecting an egress network-to-network interface device based on the identifier and a minimum path criterion between the ingress network-to-network interface device and the egress network-to-network interface device; and transmitting the signaling message to the egress network-to-network interface device.

Abstract: A system for and method of providing additional routing information in response to a query to determine whether a dialed number is ported or not. Many customers change service providers and yet keep the same phone number. Thus, whenever a call is made, a service provider may determine whether the dialed number has been ported. This determination may be made via a local number portability (LNP) query to a database. An embodiment of the present invention provides additional information in a LNP query response that assists in routing the call. For example, the LNP response may include a local access transport area (LATA) identifier. The LATA identifier represents a geographic section of the United States and provides routing information. The LATA identifier may be processed to determine the proper routing information for a dialed number. By using LATA identifiers, a more manageable database size may be realized.