Importance

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Abstract

A system and method for flexibly routing communications transmissions in an efficient manner is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, service providers submit information to a centralized server node which comprises cost and service parameter data for routing a communication from a first location to a second location. The server node receives all of the submitted rate information, evaluates it, and generates from the information a rate-table database comprising efficient routing paths for connecting transmissions between any two locations in a communications switching network. The server may be programmed to substantially optimize its rate-table database with respect to one or more parameters, such as price, network utilization, return traffic volumes, and others. Service requesters submit service requests to the centralized server node. The server node identifies efficient routes which meet the requesters' requirements and brokers sales of communication (or connect) time from the service providers to the service requesters. In a preferred embodiment the system is capable of displaying market-price information related to the supported communication routes to prospective sellers and buyers of connection time.

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First Claim