Dialed string matching and call cost minimization in dial plan

A method for generating a translated number from a dialed string corresponding to a call dialed at an agent device, the method comprising:

• identifying, by a processor, one or more available categories associated with the agent device, each available category being either an available blocked category or an available unblocked category, each of the one or more available categories containing one or more patterns;
• translating the number, by the processor, in response to the dialed string matching at least one pattern in the available unblocked category and matching no patterns in the available blocked category;
• and
• denying the call, by the processor, in response to the dialed string not matching a pattern in the available unblocked category or matching at least one pattern in the available blocked category;
• wherein the translating of the number comprises:
• identifying, by the processor, one or more gateways for routing the call from an origin on an Internet Protocol (IP) network to a destination, identified by the dialed string, on a public switched telephone network (PSTN);
• calculating, by the processor, a cost of routing the call through each of the one or more gateways;
• identifying, by processor, one of the one or more gateways with the lowest cost as a preferred gateway;
• and
• forming, by the processor, the translated number by combining an identifier for the preferred gateway with the dialed string.