Internet protocol (IP) telecommunication

A call centre being operative in combination with a quality of service (QOS) server, to accommodate outgoing call completions via either of a PSTN or a packet switched network, comprising;

• a telephone circuit switching network being coupled via trunk circuits to the PSTN, and being coupled via a gateway means to the packet switched network, the telephone circuit switching network being operable to provide communications channels between any of a plurality of agent stations and the gateway means, and to provide communications channels between any of the plurality of agent stations and the trunk circuits;
• a call controller for directing the operations of the telephone circuit switching network for setting up and tearing down telephone calls, such that calls for completion via the trunk circuits are preceded by signalling information specifying at least the telephone number of a called party, and such that calls for completion via the gateway means are preceded by signalling information as to the telephone number of a called party as well as corresponding IP network endpoint address;
• an automatic dialler coupled to communicate with the call controller for providing telephone numbers in association with endpoint addresses to the call controller, and coupled with the QOS server, the automatic dialler comprising:
• a number list for storing a plurality of telephone numbers along with corresponding endpoint addresses of parties to be called;
• a calling list controller for reading and writing the number list and apriori to providing a telephone number for use by the call controller, the calling list controller being operable to request and receive QOS information from the QOS server in relation to the endpoint addresses of said gateway and an endpoint associated with said telephone number, and being operable to decline provisioning of said telephone number in consequence of said QOS information suggesting an insufficient QOS.

A method for estimating a telephony quality of service (QOS) between endpoints in an internet protocol (IP) network, comprising the steps of:

• coupling a data storage facility with the IP network to act as a quality of service (QOS) server;
• and
• responsive to an exchange of signal streams of synchronous orgins at an endpoint,
• a) gathering performance information for a receive signal stream,
• b) gathering route information identifying at least one route having been traversed by said signal stream,
• c) transferring the gathered information to the data storage facility;
• and in response to each transfer of said gathered information, at the QOS server,
• d) storing the performance information, and the route information;
• whereby the stored information are available apriori a call setup for a request of telephone service involving endpoints having at least a potential transport route in common with a route identified in the stored route information, said performance information and route information being operative to determine whether a QOS associated with said telephone service would be greater or less than a prescribed QOS.