Importance

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Abstract

An alternate access platform is coupled to the Internet, a local-exchange-carrier (LEC), and other communications facilities such as a plurality of long-distance facilities provided by any one of a number of long distance carriers. Access to the alternate access platform occurs in any one of a number of ways. For example, a user, or calling party, establishes an Internet connection to the alternate access platform, or dials into the alternate access platform via a local plain-old-telephone-service (POTS) call. Independent of the access method, the alternate access platform selects a communications facility for routing the call as a function of a 'call profile' associated with the calling party. This 'call profile' uses any one of a number of parameters to determine routing such as called party, cost, quality, reliability, time-of-day, etc. This 'call profile' is either determined by the user on a call-by-call basis, or is separately administered by the user.

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First Claim