Telephone number with extension distribution system and method

Abstract

The present invention is a telephone number with extension distribution system and method, preferably for toll-free vanity telephone numbers. The preferred embodiment of the system for distributing telephone numbers comprises a client computer connected to a server through the Internet. The server interfaces with a database, preferably using a TCP/IP network. The database contains (i) telephone numbers, preferably toll-free, (ii) extensions affiliated with the telephone numbers (iii) terminating telephone number(s) assigned to a telephone number and affiliated extension. The client computer can search the database and select a telephone number and select an available extension. The client computer then inputs a terminating telephone number(s) to be associated with the telephone number and affiliated extension. The database server containing telephone numbers and affiliated extensions interfaces with the server and the Interactive Voice Response (“IVR”) system. The IVR interfaces with the PBX switch which is the gateway to the Public Switched Telephone Network (“PSTN”). The preferred embodiment of the invention further comprises an electronic mail server containing electronic mail addresses, whereby the user name (before the @ sign) is preferably the telephone number extension and the domain name preferably matches the telephone number (after the @ sign).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.