Importance

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Abstract

In an information assistance service environment, after information assistance is provided to a caller, the caller may request to have the information assistance service provider complete the call. In the prior art, the call was routed back to the carrier switch from which the information assistance service provider received the call, and that carrier completed the call. In the invention, the information assistance service provider chooses how to route the call to the destination requested by the caller. A routing database including routes available to terminate the call is searched and the call is routed after considering a number of criteria such as availability of routing trunks, the LATA (local access and transport area) within which the destination phone number resides, pricing information, or a combination of these criteria. Routing may be accomplished using a local exchange carrier (LEC), an inter-exchange (or long-distance) carrier (IXC), an inter-machine transfer trunk (IMT), which connects two or more information assistance service centers, or a combination of these.

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First Claim