Local number provisioning system and method
First Claim
1. A method for provisioning a geographically-specific phone number to a customer, comprising the steps of:
- providing said customer with a plurality of geographically-specific phone numbers;
receiving from said customer a selected geographically-specific phone number corresponding to a first geographic region wherein said customer is located in a second geographic region;
associating said selected geographically-specific phone number with said customer;
receiving from a remote caller a request to communicate with said customer at said selected geographically-specific phone number;
establishing a communications link with said customer; and
enabling said remote caller and said customer to communicate via said communications link.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and switching system that provisions to subscribers a geographically-specific telephone number. The geographically-specific telephone number is useable by the public switched network (PSTN) and translated by the switching system to connect the call to the subscriber that may be situated outside the geographic local associated with the geographically-specific telephone number. To complete a call, the switching system translates the geographically-specific telephone number to a global customer address of the system. The global customer address is sent to the local exchange carrier (LEC) or internet service provider (ISP) associated with the geographical local of the customer using the global customer address. The switching system also provides call identification capability when the subscriber makes a call to a user on the PSTN.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for provisioning a geographically-specific phone number to a customer, comprising the steps of:
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providing said customer with a plurality of geographically-specific phone numbers;
receiving from said customer a selected geographically-specific phone number corresponding to a first geographic region wherein said customer is located in a second geographic region;
associating said selected geographically-specific phone number with said customer;
receiving from a remote caller a request to communicate with said customer at said selected geographically-specific phone number;
establishing a communications link with said customer; and
enabling said remote caller and said customer to communicate via said communications link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for provisioning a geographically-specific phone number to a customer, comprising the steps of:
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means for providing said customer with a plurality of geographically-specific phone numbers;
means for receiving from said customer a selected geographically-specific phone number corresponding to a first geographic region wherein said customer is located in a second geographic region;
means for associating said selected geographically-specific phone number with said customer;
means for receiving from a remote caller a request to communicate with said customer at said selected geographically-specific phone number; and
means for establishing a communications link with said customer;
enabling said remote caller and said customer to communicate via said communications link.
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13. A system for provisioning a geographically-specific phone number to a customer, comprising the steps of:
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a switching system for providing said customer with a plurality of geographically-specific phone numbers and receiving from said customer a selected geographically-specific phone number corresponding to a first geographic region wherein said customer is located in a second geographic region;
a translation database included in said switching system, said translation database associating said selected geographically-specific phone number with at least one communication device address of said customer; and
at least one gateway included in said switching system;
wherein when said switching system receives from a remote caller a request to communicate with said customer at said selected geographically-specific phone number, said switching system establishes a communications link with said customer and enables said remote caller and said customer to communicate via said communications link. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification