System and method for real-time exchange of customer data between telecommunications companies (quick pic)

A method for exchanging customer data in the nature of a customer selected Preferred Inter-Exchange Carrier (PIC), the exchange occurring between an inter-exchange telecommunications carrier (IEC) and a plurality of local exchange carriers (LECs) connected in parallel to the output of the IEC, the method comprising the steps:

• generating customer PIC data at the inter-exchange carrier (IEC);
• detecting, from the PIC data, which LEC is to be accessed;
• formatting the PIC data into a customer account record exchange (CARE) record;
• posting the PIC data to a PIC database during transaction control for tracking the PIC data;
• determining, from the nature of the LEC to be accessed, that real time transmission of the record is appropriate;
• distributing the CARE record to one of a plurality of gateways at the IEC;
• interfacing the CARE record from the gateway to a respectively connected LEC in real time;
• and
• receiving a confirmation from the LEC indicating acceptance of the CARE record by the LEC.

A system for exchanging customer data in the nature of a customer selected Preferred Inter-Exchange Carrier (PIC), the exchange occurring between an inter-exchange telecommunications carrier (IEC) and a plurality of local exchange carriers (LECs) connected in parallel to the output of the IEC, the IEC comprising:

• means for entering customer order PIC data;
• first server means connected to the entering means for--
• a) detecting, from the PIC data, which LEC is to be accessed;
• b) formatting the PIC data into a customer account record exchange (CARE) record;
• c) tracking the PIC data;
• and
• d) determining, from the nature of the LEC to be accessed, that real time transmission of the record is appropriate;
• transaction control means connected to the server means for logging and controlling each transaction;
• a plurality of gateway means connected to the transaction control means for selectively receiving CARE records distributed to the gateway means by the transaction control means;
• means for interfacing a CARE record from the selected gateway means to a respectively connected LEC in real time;
• the transaction control means receiving a confirmation from a correspondingly connected LEC indicating acceptance of the CARE record by the LEC.