CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND

A call to domestic long-distance number may be connected to its destination by different routes. For example, a first route may place the call over trunks in a first set of states to the destination or a second route may place the call over trunks in a second set of states to the destination.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, a central routing function (CRF) platform is disclosed. The CRF platform comprises at least one processor, a non-transitory memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor that stores a plurality of prioritized intra-state/intra-major trading area (MTA) call route lists, a plurality of prioritized intra-state/inter MTA call route lists, a plurality of prioritized inter-state/intra-MTA call route lists, and a plurality of prioritized inter-state/inter-MTA call route lists, where each prioritized call route list associates alternative domestic long-distance call routes in a prioritized order to a destination telephone number, and a call process application stored in the non-transitory memory. When executed by the processor, the call process application receives a request for a prioritized call route list from a network element, where the request comprises an indication of a location of a call originator of a call and a destination telephone number and determines a call type of the call from the call originator to the destination telephone number as an intra-state/intra-MTA call type, an intra-state/inter-MTA call type, an inter-state/intra-MTA call type, or an inter-state/inter-MTA call type. The call process application further selects a prioritized call route list associated with the destination telephone number from among the prioritized call route lists stored in the non-transitory memory based on the call type of the call from the call originator to the destination telephone number, determines that a percent allocation rule applies to the call from the call originator to the destination telephone number, based on the percent allocation rule, removes the first priority call route from the selected prioritized call route list to make an adapted prioritized call route list, and sends the adapted prioritized call route list to the network element.

In another embodiment, a method of providing a prioritized call route list to a network element, where the prioritized call route list associates alternative domestic long-distance call routes in a prioritized order to a destination telephone number is disclosed. The method comprises receiving key performance indicators (KPIs) by a route generation application from network elements in a domestic long-distance call path, building by the route generation application a plurality of prioritized intra-state/intra-major trading area (MTA) call route lists, a plurality of prioritized intra-state/inter-MTA call route lists, a plurality of prioritized inter-state/intra-MTA call route lists, and a plurality of prioritized inter-state/inter-MTA call route lists based in part on the KPIs received from the network elements, where each prioritized call route list associates alternative domestic long-distance call routes in a prioritized order to a destination telephone number, and sending the prioritized intra-state/intra MTA call route lists, the prioritized intra-state/inter-MTA call route lists, the prioritized inter-state/intra-MTA call route lists, and the prioritized inter-state/inter-MTA call route lists by the route generation application to a central routing function (CRF) platform, wherein the CRF platform is not in the domestic long-distance call path. The method further comprises receiving a request for a prioritized call route list by the CRF platform from a network element, where the request comprises an indication of a location of a call originator of a call and a destination telephone number, determining by the CRF platform a call type of the call from the call originator to the destination telephone number as an intra-state/intra-MTA call type, an intra-state/inter-MTA call type, an inter-state/intra-MTA call type, or an inter-state/inter-MTA call type, selecting a prioritized call route list based on the destination telephone number and based on the call type of the call from the call originator to the destination telephone number by the CRF platform from among the prioritized intra-state/intra-MTA call route lists, the prioritized intra-state/inter MTA call route lists, the prioritized inter-state/intra-MTA call route lists, and the prioritized inter-state/inter-MTA call route lists, and sending the selected prioritized call route list by the CRF platform to the network element.

In yet another embodiment, a method of providing a prioritized call route list to a network element, where the prioritized call route list associates alternative domestic long-distance call routes in a prioritized order to a destination telephone number. The method comprises building by a route generation application executing on a computer system a plurality of prioritized intra-state/intra-major trading area (MTA) call route lists, a plurality of prioritized intra-state/inter-MTA call route lists, a plurality of prioritized inter-state/intra-MTA call route lists, and a plurality of prioritized inter-state/inter-MTA call route lists, where each prioritized call route list associates alternative domestic long-distance call routes in a prioritized order to a destination telephone number and sending the prioritized intra-state/intra MTA call route lists, the prioritized intra-state/inter-MTA call route lists, the prioritized inter-state/intra-MTA call route lists, and the prioritized inter-state/inter-MTA call route lists by the route generation application to a central routing function (CRF) platform. The method further comprises receiving a request for a prioritized call route list by the CRF platform from a network element, where the request comprises an indication of a location of a call originator of a call and a destination telephone number, determining by the CRF platform a call type of the call from the call originator to the destination telephone number as an intra-state/intra-MTA call type, an intra-state/inter-MTA call type, an inter-state/intra-MTA call type, or an inter-state/inter-MTA call type, and selecting a prioritized call route list based on the destination telephone number and based on the call type of the call from the call originator to the destination telephone number by the CRF platform from among the prioritized intra-state/intra-MTA call route lists, the prioritized intra-state/inter MTA call route lists, the prioritized inter-state/intra-MTA call route lists, and the prioritized inter-state/inter-MTA call route lists. The method further comprises determining by the CRF platform that a percent allocation rule applies to the call from the call originator to the destination telephone number, based on the percent allocation rule, removing the first priority call route by the CRF platform from the selected prioritized call route list to make an adapted prioritized call route list, and sending the adapted prioritized call route list by the CRF platform to the network element.

In yet another embodiment, a method of providing a prioritized international call route list to a network element, where the international call route list associates alternative international communication service carrier routes with an international telephone number is disclosed. The method comprises building a plurality of prioritized international call route lists by an international call routing management system based on key performance indicators (KPIs) of international call routes and based on price rating sheet data provided by international communication service carriers, wherein the KPIs comprise a minutes of use KPI, adapting the prioritized international call route lists based on pre-defined overrides by the international call routing management system, and sending the adapted prioritized international call route lists by the international call routing management system to a central routing function (CRF) platform. The method further comprises receiving a request for a prioritized international call route list by the CRF platform from a network element, where the request comprises an international telephone number and accessing a prioritized international call route list associated with the international telephone number by the CRF platform from among the plurality of adapted prioritized international call route lists. The method further comprises determining by the CRF platform that the international telephone number is associated with a percent allocation rule, based on the percent allocation rule removing the first priority call route from the prioritized call route list associated with the international telephone number by the CRF platform to make a curtailed prioritized international call route list, and sending the curtailed prioritized international call route list by the CRF platform to the network element.

In yet another embodiment, a central routing function (CRF) platform is disclosed. The CRF platform comprises at least one processor, a non-transitory memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor that stores a plurality of prioritized international call route lists where each prioritized international call route list associates alternative international communication service carrier routes in a prioritized order with an international telephone number, and a call process application stored in the non-transitory memory. When executed by the processor, the call process application receives a request for a prioritized international call route list from a network element, where the request comprises an international telephone number, pads out the international telephone number received from the network element to form a 15-digit number, looks up a prioritized international route list using the 15-digit number in the non-transitory memory, and sends the prioritized international route list to the network element.

In yet another embodiment, an international call routing management system is disclosed. The system comprises at least one processor, a non-transitory memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor an international communication service carriers price rating sheet data store, a key performance indicators (KPIs) data store, and an application stored in the non-transitory memory. When executed by the processor, the application reads KPIs out of the KPI data store including minutes of use KPIs associated with international communication service carriers and reads international communication service carrier price rating sheets out of the price rating sheet data store. The application further, for each of a plurality of international call routes, analyzes the international communication service carrier price rating sheets to determine a cost for the international call route for each of the international communication service carriers that support the international call route. The application further, for at least some of the plurality of international call routes, analyzes the minutes of use KPI associated with an international communication service carrier that supports the international call route to determine if a contracted minutes of use associated with the international communication service carrier has been satisfied for a current evaluation period. The application further, for at least some of the plurality of international call routes, defines a prioritized list of carrier supported routes based on the determination whether the contracted minutes of use has been satisfied and based on the cost for the international communication service carriers to support the international call route. The application further transmits a file associating each of the plurality of international call routes to the prioritized list of carrier supported routes to a central routing function (CRF), whereby the CRF responds to requests for international call routes to complete international calls.

These and other features will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.

