Completing telecommunications calls in a competitive local and toll environment

• US 6,324,277 B1
• Filed: 02/03/1997
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hatalla, Anthony, Stern, Theodore Louis, Garoutte, Dana Lee, Stanley, Dorothy V., Lee, Chiu-Kai, Krisht, Ali H., Shepard, James Benford, Hirsch, Robert Bruce, Bhagat, Promod Kumar, Akinpelu, Akinwale Ademola
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US08/792,053
• Time in Patent Office: 1,758 Days
• Field of Search: 379/207, 379/211, 379/221, 379/229, 379/112, 379/119, 379/120, 379/219, 379/220, 379/115, 379/242, 379/243, 379/258, 379/273
• US Class Current: 379/221.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42297 with number portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13102 Common translator
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13149 Change of provider, e.g. network or service
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13298 Local loop systems, access network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13353 Routing table, map memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13383 Hierarchy of switches, main and subexchange, e.g. satellite exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 Arrangements providing connection between exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/005 Personal communication services, e.g. provisions for portability of subscriber numbers

Abstract

In an environment of competitive local and interexchange carriers, offering number portability between local carriers serving a common region and between switches serving that region, each local carrier accesses a regional database to determine the identity of the carrier and switch serving a local customer. In addition, interexchange carriers access a national database to determine the identity of the carrier and switch serving the customer specified by the number dialed by an originating customer. For customers requiring high reliability service, alternate carriers can be used to serve such customers in case the primary carrier is unavailable; the databases identify these alternate carriers. Advantageously, this arrangement allows a high degree of freedom of movement of customers between carriers and geographic relocation without requiring a number change.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a telecommunications call from a caller, comprising the steps of:

receiving a Dialed Number of a called party at a first switch of a first local carrier;

determining whether said Dialed Number is for an toll-call connection or a local-call connection;

if it is determined that said Dialed Number is for said local-call connection, accessing by said first local carrier a regional database that associates a dialed number with an identity of a preferred local exchange carrier and an alternate local exchange carrier of said called party and of a preferred switch and an alternate switch for connecting said telecommunications call to said called party specified by said Dialed Number; and

routing said telecommunications call to said preferred carrier and to said preferred switch for connecting said telecommunications call to said called party specified by said Dialed Number, and routing said call to said alternate carrier and to said alternate switch for connecting said telecommunications call to said called party when said preferred carrier or said preferred switch are not available.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

preparing a call detail record for said call, said call detail record comprising an identity of a carrier for routing said call.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

responsive to a determination that said Dialed Number is for toll-call connection determining whether the caller has subscribed to or specified an interexchange carrier for toll calls; and

responsive to a determination that the subscriber has subscribed to or specified an interexchange carrier for toll calls, routing said call to the subscribed to or specified interexchange carrier for a determination of the carrier and switch serving the customer specified by the Dialed Number.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

responsive to determining that said Dialed Number is for a toll call connection, said interexchange carrier querying a national database to determine a terminating local carrier and switch for connecting said call to said ultimate called party specified by said Dialed Number.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein, in addition to providing said terminating local carrier and switch, said national database also provides an alternate terminating local carrier and switch.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of:

preparing a call detail record comprising an identification of said first local carrier and an identification of a carrier selected to route said call to the customer identified by the Dialed Number.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

responsive to determining that said Dialed Number is for a toll call, querying a national database to determine a terminating carrier and switch and an alternate terminating carrier and switch for connecting said call to said ultimate called party specified by said Dialed Number.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein a national database or a regional database comprises routing number for routing said telecommunications call to a terminating switch for serving said Dialed Number.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said location routing number comprises an NPA-NXX (number plan area-office code) code.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said NPA-NXX code matches an NPA-NXX code of at least some customers served by said terminating switch.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said national database or regional database further comprises data for identifying a trunk group for routing said telecommunications call over a carrier for serving said called number.

12. The method of claims 1 wherein the step of receiving a Dialed Number further comprises:

receiving said Dialed Number in a first part of a received signaling information.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of accessing a regional database further comprises:

placing said Dialed Number in a second part of said received signaling information and said identity of said preferred terminating local carrier and said switch in said first part of said received signaling information.

14. In a telecommunication network, a method of establishing a telecommunications call, comprising the steps of:

receiving a Dialed Number at a first switch of a first local carrier;

determining whether said Dialed Number is for a toll call;

if it is determined that said Dialed Number is for a toll call, accessing a national database that links a telephone number with an identity of a preferred and alternate terminating local carrier and of a preferred and alternate switch for connecting said call to an ultimate called party specified by said Dialed Number; and

routing said call to said preferred or said alternate terminating local carrier and said preferred or said alternate switch.