Importance

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Abstract

An arrangement for routing toll calls to a predominant local exchange carrier (LEC) or to a competitive access provider (CAP). An egress switch of an interexchange (toll) carrier translates the called directory number office code to determine whether that code serves a CAP. If so, an exception table is searched to identify the CAP. If the called number is not in the exception table, the call is routed to the predominant LEC. Calls may also be routed to a customer who is served by a CAP and the predominant LEC via either of these local carriers. The billing record identifies an originating and/or a terminating CAP for the call. Optionally or alternatively, an ingress IXC switch may access a data base to determine the CAP or predominant LEC serving a called customer. The ingress IXC switch then routes the call to an IXC egress switch serving the carrier that serves the called customer. Advantageously, this arrangement efficiently serves calls using a CAP to provide part of the connection.

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First Claim