Integrated proxy interface for web based telecommunication toll-free network management using a network manager for downloading a call routing tree to client

• US 6,574,661 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1998
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Communications Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Hall, Robert W., Venn, Garrison M., Devine, Carol Y., Delano, P. Alex, Pfister, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KANG, PAUL H
• Application Number:
  US09/159,702
• Time in Patent Office: 1,713 Days
• Field of Search: 379/219-235, 379/261-267, 379/88-9-, 709/223, 709/226, 709/229, 709/244, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0757 by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0769 Readable error formats, e.g. cross-platform generic formats, human understandable formats
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0775 Content or structure details of the error report, e.g. specific table structure, specific error fields
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0781 Error filtering or prioritizing based on a policy defined by the user or on a policy defined by a hardware/software module, e.g. according to a severity level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0784 Routing of error reports, e.g. with a specific transmission path or data flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/202 where processing functionality is redundant redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005, redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/32 with visual or acoustical indication of the functioning of the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/324 Display of status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/327 Alarm or error message display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/81 Threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/875 Monitoring of systems including the internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 : Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 : Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 : Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 : Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 : insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 : Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 : Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 : Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 : Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1428 : Invoice generation, e.g. customization, lay-out, database processing, algorithms for calculating the bill or formatting invoices as WWW pages invoicing in general G06Q30/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 : Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 : Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/024 : using relational databases for representation of network management data, e.g. managing via structured query language [SQL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 : using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 : Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 : Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 : Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 : Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0879 : Manual configuration through operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 : Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/122 : of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/142 : using statistical or mathematical methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 : Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 : comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 : Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 : Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5022 : by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5029 : Service quality level-based billing, e.g. dependent on measured service level customer is charged more or less
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5032 : Generating service level reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5061 : characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5064 : Customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5067 : Customer-centric QoS measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5074 : Handling of user complaints or trouble tickets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5083 : wherein the managed service relates to web hosting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5096 : wherein the managed service relates to distributed or central networked applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 : Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/024 : by adaptive sampling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 : for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 : Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/062 : related to network traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 : related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/067 : using time frame reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0805 : by checking availability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 : by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 : by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 : Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 : Transmission error
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 : Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 : Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 : Throughput
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 : Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/091 : Measuring contribution of individual network components to actual service level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 : Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 : using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 : Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 : User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 : Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 : using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 : for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 : Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0218 : Distributed architectures, e.g. distributed firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 : Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 : Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 : Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 : wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0464 : using hop-by-hop encryption, i.e. wherein an intermediate entity decrypts the information and re-encrypts it before forwarding it
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 : using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 : providing single-sign-on or federations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 : using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 : using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 : at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 : at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 : above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 : using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 : Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 : wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 : Responding to QoS
• 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 15/41 : Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 : Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 : Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 : Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 : for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 : based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/705 : Account settings, e.g. limits or numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/721 : using the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 : Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 : Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 : Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 : Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8351 : before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 : Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 : Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 : Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 : General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 : Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 : On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 : Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/018 : On-line real-time billing, able to see billing information while in communication, e.g. via the internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 : Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 : Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 : Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 : Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7009 : Account settings, e.g. users, terminals, limits, numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7045 : Using Internet or WAP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 : Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/81 : Notifying aspects, e.g. notifications or displays to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8108 : before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 : Type of notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/82 : Advice-of-Charge [AOC], i.e. notify subscriber of charges/cumulative charge; meter at the substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 : Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 : interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 : Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 : Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 : Sorting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 : Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 : Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 : Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/969 : Network layout and operation interface

Abstract

A Web/Internet based toll-free network management tool that enables customers of telecommunications network providers to modify the configuration of their toll-free networks via a Web/Internet-based graphical user interface. The tool provides customers Web/Internet access to toll-free call routing plans and associated routing plan details via a secure Web/Internet-based connection, and additionally provides a customer with the ability to specify implementation of a specific call routing plan for a toll-free number at a predetermined time, and the ability to re-configure an existing call routing plan. Additionally, the tool enables a roll-back of a particular call-routing plan or call plan detail to a prior configuration at a user-specified time.

Claims

1. An interactive Web/Internet based network management system for enabling configuration of a customer'"'"'s telecommunications network via an integrated interface, said system comprising:

a client browser application located at a client workstation for enabling interactive Web based communications with said network management system, said client workstation identified with a customer and providing said integrated interface;

at least one secure server for managing client sessions over the Internet, said secure server supporting a secure connection enabling encrypted communication between said client browser application and said secure server;

a network configuration system for maintaining an inventory of a customer'"'"'s telecommunications network call routing plans and associated plan details, and interfacing with network control elements for configuring a customer'"'"'s telecommunications network according to a desired call routing plan; and

,

a network manager in communication with said secure server for receiving customer directives communicated over said secure connection via the client browser application, said directives including a request to access call routing plan details according to a selected plan, and downloading said call routing plans details including a call routing tree to customers over said secure communications link for visual presentation at said client workstation.

2. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said client browser application enables customer modification of said call-routing plan details via said integrated interface and up-loading plan detail modification directives to said network manager over said secure connection, said network manager translating said received modification directives into commands for input to said network configuration system and forwarding said commands to said network configuration system.

3. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said customer request messages include unique customer identifiers enabling downloading of specific call routing plan details.

4. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said call routing plans pertain to a customer'"'"'s toll-free call network, said unique customer identifier including a corporate identifier having one or more call routing plans associated therewith.

5. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said call routing plans pertain to a customer'"'"'s toll-free call network, said unique customer identifier including a specific toll-free number having one or more call routing plans associated therewith.

6. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 5, wherein modifiable call routing plan details include one selected from the group of:

origin, country, state, day of week, time of day and termination, and any combination thereof.

7. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said customer directive includes an order to temporarily modify an existing network call routing plan for a predetermined period of time.

8. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said customer directive enables said call routing plan to automatically revert to a corresponding call routing plan configured prior to invocation of said directive, said directive including a revert date and time.

9. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said customer directive includes an order to temporarily modify a percent allocation of call traffic routed to a number used in a particular routing plan.

10. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said customer directive enables said allocation of call traffic routed to a number to automatically revert to a corresponding percent allocation prior to invocation of said directive, said directive including a reverting date and time.

11. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said directives are communicated from said integrated interface over said secure connection to said network manager by a remote method invocation-like protocol.

12. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said client browser application includes process for enabling construction of a new routing plan associated with a telephone number.

13. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said network manager further comprises process for verifying customer entitlements prior to downloading call routing plans details to said requesting customer.

14. A Web/Internet based network management system for enabling configuration of a customer'"'"'s telecommunications network via an integrated interface, said system comprising:

a client browser application located at a client workstation for enabling interactive Web based communications with said network management system, said client workstation identified with a customer and providing said integrated interface;

at least one secure server for managing client sessions over the Internet, said secure server supporting a secure connection enabling encrypted communication between said browser client application and said secure server; and

at least one secure server for managing client sessions over the Internet, said secure server supporting a secure connection enabling encrypted communication between a client browser application located at a client workstation and said secure server; and

network manager for receiving customer directives communicated over said secure communications link, said directives including a request to access call routing plan information relating to a customer'"'"'s network, said network manager downloading said call routing plan information including a call routing tree to customers over said secure connection,

said client browser application enabling customer modification of said call-routing plan information via said integrated interface and up-loading call routing plan modification directives to said network manager over said secure connection,

whereby said customer'"'"'s telecommunications network is thereafter configured according to said commands and modified call-routing plan details included therein.

15. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said customer request messages include unique customer identifiers enabling downloading of specific call routing plan information.

16. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said call routing plans pertain to a customer'"'"'s toll-free call network, said unique customer identifier including a specific toll-free number having one or more call routing plans associated therewith.

17. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said call routing plans pertain to a customer'"'"'s toll-free call network, said unique customer identifier including a corporate identifier having one or more call routing plans associated therewith.

18. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said customer directive includes an order to temporarily modify a percent allocation of call traffic routed to a number used in a particular routing plan.

19. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said customer directive enables said allocation of call traffic routed to a number to automatically revert to a corresponding percent allocation prior to invocation of said directive, said directive including a reverting date and time.

20. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said customer directive includes an order to temporarily modify an existing network call routing plan for a predetermined period of time.

21. The interactive Web/Internet based network management system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said customer directive enables said call routing plan to automatically revert to a corresponding call routing plan configured prior to invocation of said directive, said directive including a revert date and time.

22. A method for remotely configuring a customer'"'"'s telecommunications network via a Web/Internet integrated interface, said integrated interface including a client browser application located at a client workstation for enabling interactive Web based communications between said customer and said integrated interface, said method comprising:

managing a client session over the Web/Internet by providing a first server device capable of supporting a first secure connection enabling encrypted communication between said browser application and said first server device;

providing a second server device for communicating with said first server device through a firewall over a second socket connection, said first secure and second sockets forming a secure communications link;

receiving customer directives communicated over said secure communications link, said directives including a request to access call routing plan information relating to a customer'"'"'s network;

downloading said call routing plan information including a call routing tree to customers over said secure communications link; and

modifying said call-routing plan information via said integrated interface and up-loading call routing plan modification directives to a network manager over said secure communications link, whereby said customer'"'"'s telecommunications network is thereafter configured according to said commands and modified call-routing plan details included therein.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, further including the step of enabling customer modification of said call-routing plan details via said integrated interface and up-loading plan modification directives over said secure communications link to a telecommunications network manager for receiving said directives, and translating said plan modification directives into a format capable of configuring said customer'"'"'s telecommunications network, said modified call-routing plan details being forwarded to said interfacing system for configuring said customer'"'"'s telecommunications network according to said modified call-routing plan details.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said customer directive includes an order to temporarily modify an existing network call routing plan for a predetermined period of time.

25. The method as claimed in claim 24, wherein said customer directive enables said call routing plan to automatically revert to a corresponding call routing plan configured prior to invocation of said directive, said directive including a revert date and time.

26. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said customer request messages include unique customer identifiers enabling downloading of specific call routing plan details.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein said customer directive includes an order to temporarily modify a percent allocation of call traffic routed to a number used in a particular routing plan.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27, wherein said customer directive enables said allocation of call traffic routed to a number to automatically revert to a corresponding percent allocation prior to invocation of said directive, said directive including a reverting date and time.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein modifiable call routing plan details include one selected from the group of:

origin, country, state, day of week, time of day and termination, and any combination thereof.

30. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein said call routing plans pertain to a customer'"'"'s toll-free call network, said unique customer identifier including a specific toll-free number having one or more call routing plans associated therewith.

31. The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein said call routing plans pertain to a customer'"'"'s toll-free call network, said unique customer identifier including a corporate identifier having one or more call routing plans associated therewith.

32. The method as claimed in claim 30, further including constructing a new toll free routing plan associated with a new toll free telephone number.

33. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein prior to said step of downloading said call routing plan and call routing plan details as response messages to customers, the step of verifying customer entitlements for accessing said call routing plans details.

34. A method for remotely configuring a customer'"'"'s telecommunications network via a Web/Internet based integrated interface, said integrated interface including a client browser application located at a client workstation for enabling interactive Web based communications between said customer and said integrated interface, said method comprising:

managing a client session over the Web/Internet by providing a first server device capable of supporting a first secure socket connection enabling encrypted communication between said browser application and said first server device;

providing a second server device for communicating with said first server device through a firewall over a second socket connection, said first secure and second sockets forming a secure communications link;

receiving customer directives communicated over said secure communications link, said directives including a request to access call routing plan information relating to a customer'"'"'s network;

downloading said call routing plan information to customers over said secure communications link; and

modifying said call-routing plan information via said integrated interface and up-loading call routing plan modification directives to a network manager over said secure communications link, whereby said customer'"'"'s telecommunications network is thereafter configured according to said commands and modified call-routing plan details included therein.