Connections between a toll network and multiple local networks
First Claim
1. A method of routing a call from an interexchange carrier (IXC) to one of a plurality of terminating local exchange carriers, wherein a called party of said call is identified by a called number comprising an office code, individual telephone numbers within said office code being assigned to subscribers of different ones of said plurality of local exchange carriers, and wherein different ones of said plurality of local exchange carriers are served from different egress switches of said IXC, the method comprising the steps of:
- accessing a data base by an IXC ingress switch connected to said egress switches to identify a terminating local exchange carrier, based on a telephone number within said called number'"'"'s office code, to which said call is to be routed; and
routing said call to said identified terminating local exchange carrier via one of said egress switches.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An arrangement for routing toll calls to a predominant local exchange carrier (LEC) or to a competitive access provider (CAP). An egress switch of an interexchange (toll) carrier translates the called directory number office code to determine whether that code serves a CAP. If so, an exception table is searched to identify the CAP. If the called number is not in the exception table, the call is routed to the predominant LEC. Calls may also be routed to a customer who is served by a CAP and the predominant LEC via either of these local carriers. The billing record identifies an originating and/or a terminating CAP for the call. Optionally or alternatively, an ingress IXC switch may access a data base to determine the CAP or predominant LEC serving a called customer. The ingress IXC switch then routes the call to an IXC egress switch serving the carrier that serves the called customer. Advantageously, this arrangement efficiently serves calls using a CAP to provide part of the connection.
109 Citations
5 Claims
-
1. A method of routing a call from an interexchange carrier (IXC) to one of a plurality of terminating local exchange carriers, wherein a called party of said call is identified by a called number comprising an office code, individual telephone numbers within said office code being assigned to subscribers of different ones of said plurality of local exchange carriers, and wherein different ones of said plurality of local exchange carriers are served from different egress switches of said IXC, the method comprising the steps of:
-
accessing a data base by an IXC ingress switch connected to said egress switches to identify a terminating local exchange carrier, based on a telephone number within said called number'"'"'s office code, to which said call is to be routed; and routing said call to said identified terminating local exchange carrier via one of said egress switches. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
Specification