Methods and systems for routing signaling messages associated with ported subscribers in a communications network

A method for routing a data packet associated with a ported subscriber in a communications network, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving a data packet from a communication network;
• (b) determining whether the data packet contains a call setup message;
• (c) in response to determining that the data packet includes a call setup message, performing a lookup in a number portability database using key information contained in the data packet;
• (d) modifying contents of the data packet to incorporate one or more number portability routing instructions returned by the number portability database lookup;
• and
• (e) transmitting the modified data packet into the communication network.

A computer program product comprising computer-executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising:

• (a) receiving a call setup message from a communications network, the call setup message including a first called party address value associated with a first end office;
• (b) performing a lookup in a number portability database based on the first called party address value to obtain a second called party address value associated with a second end office;
• and
• (c) replacing the first called party address value in the call setup message with the second called party address value.