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Abstract

A Multiservice Access Concentrator (MAC) receives a called number and matches the number against a destination-pattern index. A logical group of single access telephone numbers are associated to at least one voice port, wherein a logical group of candidate voice ports are formed. The logical group of candidate voice ports are sorted to form a sorted table. The sorting comprises using a prioritized sort criteria, wherein the sort criteria comprises sorting by explicit preference, longest telephone number match metric, local voice ports taking priority over network voice ports, administrative metrics of the network voice ports, time-of-last-use timestamp, and predefined order. Hunting for a voice port among a logical group of candidate voice ports is performed, wherein the logical group of candidate voice ports is distributed across at least one voice over packet-data-network system (VOPS). The VOPS comprises voice over Internet Protocol (IP) network systems, voice over Frame Relay network systems, voice over Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network systems, and voice over High-level Data Link Control (HDLC) network systems, but the embodiment is not so limited. Ringing of a telephone extension coupled to the voice port is performed.

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