Telephone number use optimization for blocks of telephone numbers

A system comprising:

• a network device including:
• a memory to store a database of telephone numbers (TNs) in a block of TNs associated with a customer, wherein the memory is configured to store an order of priority for removing excess TNs from the block of TNs;
• and
• a processor to determine the excess TNs for removal from the block of TNs associated with the customer, wherein the processor is configured to query the memory to determine the order of priority and to mark, in the determined order of priority, the excess TNs for removal from the block of TNs.

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• determining a count of working telephone numbers (TNs) in a block of TNs associated with a customer;
• determining a spare number of TNs based on the count of working TNs;
• determining a count of excess telephone numbers (TNs) for removal from a block of TNs associated with a customer, wherein the count of excess TNs is based on the spare number;
• determining an order of priority for removing the excess TNs from the block of TNs;
• and
• marking the excess TNs for removal from the block of TNs in the determined order of priority.