Inter-carrier messaging service providing phone number only experience

Abstract

A phone number only messaging experience is provided in an Inter-Carrier Messaging System service. Subscriber to subscriber digital messages containing user data are routed between carrier's networks using an Inter-Carrier messaging module with appropriate MIN/carrier/carrier routing look-up capabilities. Digital messages containing user data (e.g., short messages, email, digital messages in general, etc.) may be sent to a subscriber in another carrier's network addressed only with a phone number. If the recipient is outside of the sender's carrier network, the Inter-Carrier messaging module of the Inter-Carrier service provider (ICSP) determines the appropriate carrier for the recipient, appends the appropriate syntax to the digital message containing user data to allow internet protocol (IP) or other standardized communication techniques between message service centers of the two carriers, and routes the digital message containing user data to the destination carrier. The recipient in the other carrier's network may reply back to the ICSP's sender using only the subscriber's directory number.

1 . In a message distribution center, a phone number only experience provided by: 
 a database associating subscriber MIN numbers with servicing carriers; a database associating carriers with routing syntax; and    an inter-carrier messaging module to receive a digital message with user data payload addressed with only a MIN number, to perform a lookup in said database associating subscriber MIN numbers and in said database associating carriers with routing syntax, and to add routing syntax determined from said lookup to said MIN number.    
     
     
         2 - 22 . (canceled)