Method and system for routing of inbound toll-free communications

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, computer program products for consolidating toll-free features of two or more telecommunications networks. In one implementation, the network services may be consolidated through utilization of an Enhanced Feature Server (EFS) or other type of application server deployed in a telecommunications network. The EFS may be configured to receive a toll-free communication and route the communication based on the dialed toll-free number and a carrier identification code (CIC) associated with the communication. Routing the communication based at least on the CIC associated with the communication allows the telecommunications network to consolidate (and ultimately remove) a redundant network or network components from the telecommunications network to improve the operation of the network. In circumstances where a CIC is not associated with a communication, the EFS may associate a CIC with the communication for routing.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A telecommunications network comprising:
 at least one application server for receiving communications from a plurality of telecommunication networks, the at least one application server comprising instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the at least one application server, perform the operations of:   receiving an incoming communication comprising a dialed telephone number associated with a client of the telecommunications network and a carrier identification code (CIC);   obtaining the dialed telephone number and the CIC from the incoming communication;   identifying a destination device of the client of the telecommunication network, the destination device in communication with at least one of the plurality of telecommunication networks; and   transmitting the incoming communication to the destination device of the client of the telecommunication network through the at least one of the plurality of telecommunication networks.   
     
     
         2 . The telecommunications network as recited in  claim 1  wherein the incoming communication is a toll-free communication. 
     
     
         3 . The telecommunications network as recited in  claim 1  wherein the at least one application server further performs the operation of associating a default CIC with the incoming communication, the default CIC associated with a first network of the plurality of telecommunication networks. 
     
     
         4 . A feature server of a telecommunications network comprising:
 a network interface to receive a plurality of incoming communications from a plurality of telecommunication networks, at least one incoming communication comprising a dialed telephone number associated with a client of the telecommunications network and a carrier identification code (CIC);   a processing device in communication with a routing table database comprising a correlation of the dialed telephone number and the CIC from the at least one incoming communication with a destination device of the client of the telecommunication network, the processing device identifying the destination device of the client of the telecommunication network based at least on the dialed telephone number and the CIC from the at least one incoming communication; and   a transmitting component for transmitting the at least one incoming communication to the destination device of the client of the telecommunication network through at least one of the plurality of telecommunication networks.   
     
     
         5 . The feature server as recited in  claim 4  wherein the incoming communication is a toll-free communication. 
     
     
         6 . The feature server as recited in  claim 5  wherein the at least one incoming communication is received from a second network of the plurality of telecommunication networks, the second network different than the first network. 
     
     
         7 . The feature server as recited in  claim 4  wherein the processing device further stores a routing table from the at least one of the plurality of telecommunication networks in the routing table database. 
     
     
         8 . The feature server as recited in  claim 4  wherein the processing device further associates a default CIC with the incoming communication, the default CIC associated with a first network of the plurality of telecommunication networks. 
     
     
         9 . A method for operating a telecommunications network, the method comprising:
 receiving an incoming communication at least one application server for receiving communications from a plurality of telecommunication networks, the incoming communication comprising a dialed telephone number associated with a client of the telecommunications network and a carrier identification code (CIC);   obtaining the dialed telephone number and the CIC from the incoming communication;   identifying a destination device of the client of the telecommunication network, the destination device in communication with at least one of the plurality of telecommunication networks; and   transmitting the incoming communication to the destination device of the client of the telecommunication network through the at least one of the plurality of telecommunication networks.   
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 9  wherein the incoming communication is a toll-free communication. 
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 9  further comprising:
 associating a default CIC with the incoming communication, the default CIC associated with a first network of the plurality of telecommunication networks.