Multi-network feature application

A method of applying services to calls using a first interexchange carrier's telecommunications network and carried by a second interexchange carrier's telecommunications network, said first interexchange carrier being different from said second interexchange carrier, said calls having been made by callers to virtual telephone numbers, said first interexchange carrier's telecommunications network including an MFA switch, a node, and a database correlating said virtual telephone numbers with actual telephone numbers, each of said actual telephone numbers having been previously associated with end user equipment, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) directing a call carried by the second interexchange carrier's telecommunications network made by a caller to a virtual telephone number to the MFA switch in the first interexchange carrier's telecommunications network via a LEC;
• b) sending said call from the MFA switch to the node;
• c) querying the database using said virtual telephone number to obtain a correlated actual telephone number;
• d) sending said correlated actual telephone number and said call to the MFA switch in the first interexchange carrier's telecommunications network;
• e) determining, in the first interexchange carrier's telecommunications network, whether a service is to be applied to said call;
• f) if yes, applying said service to said call;
• and
• g) completing said call from the MFA switch, to the end user equipment associated with said correlated actual telephone number.

A method of processing calls comprising the steps of:

• a) receiving a call, made by a caller to a virtual telephone number and carried by transport and signaling equipment of a first interexchange carrier's telecommunications network, at an MFA switch in said first interexchange carrier's telecommunications network;
• b) determining at said MFA switch if said call is a special call using a Dialed Number Trigger Table and, if not, routing said call to its destination, otherwise;
• c) querying a database correlating virtual telephone numbers with actual telephone numbers representing at least one end user device to identify an actual telephone number corresponding to said virtual telephone number for said call,
• d) determining if a first service is to be applied to said call by transport and signaling equipment of a second interexchange carrier's telecommunications network and, if not, determining if a second service is to be applied to said call by said transport and signaling equipment of said first interexchange carrier's telecommunications network, and, if so, applying said service;
• and
• e) routing said call from said MFA switch to said end user device represented by said actual telephone number.

A system for applying services to calls made to virtual telephone numbers and carried over a first telecommunications network including signaling and transport equipment, said first telecommunications network having been selected by a caller as the carrier network for a call, the system comprising:

• a second telecommunications network, different from said first telecommunications network, said second telecommunications network being a network which was not selected by said caller as the carrier network for said call and including signaling and transport equipment, an MFA switch, an MFA node and a database correlating virtual telephone numbers with actual telephone numbers representing end user devices, said MFA switch in said second telecommunications network being constructed for receiving said call made to a virtual telephone number and carried by the first telecommunications network, said call having been routed from a LEC to said MFA switch in said second telecommunications network, said MFA node being constructed for receiving said call from said MFA switch, means in said second telecommunications network for querying said database using said virtual telephone number to obtain a correlated actual telephone number and for sending said correlated actual telephone number and said call back to said MFA switch;
• said second telecommunications network further including means associated with said MFA switch for determining whether a service is to be applied to said call and, if yes, for applying said service;
• and
• means for completing said call from said MFA switch to an end user device represented by said correlated actual telephone number.