Method, Device, and Graphical User Interface for Location-Based Dialing

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• at a portable communications device,
• receiving from a user a first sequence of symbols that includes a phone number that corresponds to a destination number for a call;
• if the first sequence of symbols includes a predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number, sending an address message corresponding to the first sequence of symbols to a communications network;
• and
• if the first sequence of symbols does not include the predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number:
• determining a second sequence of symbols that correspond to the destination number, wherein the second sequence of symbols includes the predefined universal international access code symbol if the portable communications device is presently located in a country other than the home country of the portable communications device;
• and
• sending an address message corresponding to the second sequence of symbols to the communications network.

A graphical user interface on a portable communications device, comprising:

• a second sequence of symbols that corresponds to a destination number for a call;
• wherein:
• the second sequence of symbols is determined by the portable communications device based on a first sequence of symbols, without a predefined universal international access code symbol, that includes a phone number that corresponds to the destination number;
• the second sequence of symbols includes the predefined universal international access code symbol;
• and
• an address message corresponding to the second sequence of symbols is sent to a communications network.

A portable communications device, comprising:

• a display;
• one or more processors;
• memory;
• and
• one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including:
• instructions for receiving from a user a first sequence of symbols that includes a phone number that corresponds to a destination number for a call;
• instructions, utilized when the first sequence of symbols includes a predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number, for sending an address message corresponding to the first sequence of symbols to a communications network;
• and
• instructions, utilized when the first sequence of symbols does not include the predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number,
• for determining a second sequence of symbols that correspond to the destination number, wherein the second sequence of symbols includes the predefined universal international access code symbol if the portable communications device is presently located in a country other than the home country of the portable communications device;
• and
• for sending an address message corresponding to the second sequence of symbols to the communications network.

A computer-program product, comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising instructions, which when executed by a portable communications device, cause the device to:
• receive from a user a first sequence of symbols that includes a phone number that corresponds to a destination number for a call;
• if the first sequence of symbols includes a predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number, send an address message corresponding to the first sequence of symbols to a communications network;
• and
• if the first sequence of symbols does not include the predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number:
• determine a second sequence of symbols that correspond to the destination number, wherein the second sequence of symbols includes the predefined universal international access code symbol if the portable communications device is presently located in a country other than the home country of the portable communications device;
• and
• send an address message corresponding to the second sequence of symbols to the communications network.

A portable communications device, comprising:

• means for receiving from a user a first sequence of symbols that includes a phone number that corresponds to a destination number for a call;
• means for sending an address message corresponding to the first sequence of symbols to a communications network if the first sequence of symbols includes a predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number;
• means, utilized when the first sequence of symbols does not include the predefined universal international access code symbol followed by the phone number, for determining a second sequence of symbols that correspond to the destination number, wherein the second sequence of symbols includes the predefined universal international access code symbol if the portable communications device is presently located in a country other than the home country of the portable communications device;
• and
• means for sending an address message corresponding to the second sequence of symbols to the communications network.