Method for managing an unallocated telephone number in a communication network, method for processing a request for allocating a telephone number, corresponding devices, item of communication equipment, system and computer programs

A device for managing at least one unallocated telephone number in a communication network, the telephone number being previously allocated to a user of the communication network until a given date, known as suspension date, wherein the device is configured to implement at the level of an item of equipment of the network:

• obtaining a piece of information relating to at least one call set-up request received by the communication network to the telephone number during a given period of time, referred to as an observation period, subsequent to the suspension date;
• updating, at least according to the piece of information relating to at least one call set-up request, at least one piece of information relating to an activity level of the telephone number in the communications network, the piece of information relating to an activity level being representative of a number of requests to set-up a call to the telephone number received by the communication network for the given observation period and storing, in an entry of a first data table, referred to as a table of unallocated telephone numbers, the at least one piece of information relating to an activity level of the telephone number in association with the telephone number, the updating using a piece of information relating to a call set-up request received by the communication network to the telephone number during the observation period, wherein the piece of information relating to the call set-up request is obtained by querying, from the called telephone number, a second data table, referred to as an event table, updating the second table being decorrelated from updating the first table.

A device for processing a request for allocating a telephone number to a user of a telecommunication network, the device being configured to implement reception of the allocation request, selecting the telephone number from a plurality of unallocated telephone numbers and sending a response comprising the selected telephone number, wherein the selection comprises:

• obtaining an unallocated telephone number and at least one piece of information relating to an activity level of the telephone number in the communication network from a first data table, referred to as a table of unallocated telephone numbers, the table comprising entries, one entry associating a telephone number previously allocated to users until a given date, referred to as a suspension date, with a piece of information relating to an activity level of the telephone number during a given observation period, subsequent to the suspension date, the first data table being updating using a piece of information relating to a call set-up request received by the communication network to the telephone number during the observation period, the piece of information relating to the call set-up request being obtained by querying, from the called telephone number, a second data table, referred to as an event table, updating the second table being decorrelated from updating the first table;
• deciding to select the telephone number for the user according to the piece of information and at least one selection criterion;
• and
• repeating the obtaining and selection of another telephone number, as long as it has been decided not to select the telephone number.