Clearinghouse server for internet telephony and multimedia communications

A computer-implemented method for authorizing and routing a communication with a clearinghouse server between a source device and a destination device, comprising the steps of:

• receiving with a processor an authorization request from a source device;
• determining with a processor a communication route for completing a communication originating at the source device;
• identifying with a processor one or more destination devices available to complete the communication;
• balancing use of the one or more destination devices with the clearinghouse server by ranking the one or more destination devices with weighted values which are assigned to each destination device;
• generating a list with a processor comprising the ranked destination devices;
• and
• forwarding with a processor the list to the source device.

A system for authorizing and routing a communication with a clearinghouse server between a source device and a destination device, comprising:

• processor means for receiving an authorization request from a source device;
• processor means for determining a communication route for completing a communication originating at the source device;
• processor means for identifying one or more destination devices available to complete the communication;
• processor means for balancing use of the one or more destination devices by ranking the one or more destination devices with weighted values which are assigned to each destination device;
• processor means for generating a list comprising the ranked destination devices;
• and
• processor means for forwarding the list to the source device.