Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus and method for automatically designating a telephone call route through a telephone network including a circuit switched telephone network (STN) and a packet switched network, such as the Internet. The method includes the steps, executed by a network element, of receiving a telephone number corresponding to a called party receiving the telephone call, reviewing preference information pertaining to a calling party's telephone service, determining from the preference information and the telephone number whether the telephone call can be routed to the called party through the packet switched network, and assigning a route for the telephone call through one of either the packet switched network or the STN to the called party based on whether the call is routable through the packet switched network. A network element (NE) includes the databases and call processing records necessary to route a call and perform these steps.

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First Claim