Method for managing an unallocated telephone number in a communication network, method for processing a request for allocating a telephone number, corresponding devices, item of communication equipment, system and computer programs

A method of processing a request for allocating a telephone number to a user of a communication network, the method comprising, upon receipt of the allocation request:

• selecting, from a first data table storing unallocated telephone numbers, the telephone number from a plurality of unallocated telephone numbers, according to a piece of activity level information and at least one selection criterion (CRT), the piece of activity level information being representative of a number of call set-up requests to the telephone number received by the communication network for an observation period and being associated with the telephone number;
• and
• sending a response comprising the selected telephone number.

A device for managing at least one unallocated telephone number in a communication network, the telephone number being previously allocated to a user of the communication network until a given date, known as suspension date, wherein the device is configured to implement at the level of an item of equipment of the network:

• obtaining a piece of information relating to at least one call set-up request received by the communication network to the telephone number during a given period of time, referred to as an observation period, subsequent to the suspension date;
• updating, at least according to the piece of information relating to at least one call set-up request, at least one piece of information relating to an activity level of the telephone number in the communications network, the piece of information relating to an activity level being representative of a number of requests to set-up a call to the telephone number received by the communication network for the given observation period and storing, in an entry of a first data table , referred to as a table of unallocated telephone numbers, the at least one piece of information relating to an activity level of the telephone number in association with the telephone number.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store a data table, referred to as a table of unallocated telephone numbers of a telecommunication network, the table comprising entries, wherein an entry in the table associates with an unallocated telephone number at least one piece of information relating to an activity level of the telephone number in the communication network during a given time period, referred to as an observation period.