System and method for providing called party information for centralized telephone service

A method of identifying a telephone service subscriber to a third party to which a call originated to the subscriber is forwarded, comprising:

• receiving at a first telephone switch a call originated from a calling party to a first subscriber, for forwarding to a forward-to telephone number associated with a third party, wherein said forward-to telephone number receives calls forwarded from multiple subscribers;
• forwarding the call, according to a first signaling protocol, from the first switch to a second switch coupled to the third party, wherein the first signaling protocol includes data identifying the first subscriber;
• at the second switch:
• retrieving said identifying data;
• preparing the call for forwarding to the third party according to a second signaling protocol configured to omit said identifying data;
• storing said identifying data in said second signaling protocol in place of other information;
• and
• forwarding the call to the third party.

A method of receiving information concerning a called telephone subscriber with a call forwarded from the called subscriber, comprising:

• receiving a call forwarded from a telephone service subscriber, through a first telephone switch, according to a first telephone signaling protocol;
• retrieving said identifying information from a field of call data accompanying the call, wherein the field is configured to store information other than said identifying information;
• and
• using said identifying information to provide a telephone service to the called party;
• wherein the call was received at the first switch according to a second telephone signaling protocol configured to include said identifying information and the other information;
• and
• wherein said identifying information is stored in place of the other information at the first switch.

A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of providing call data to a third party, for a call originated from a calling party to a called party, the method comprising:

• receiving a telephone call at a telephone switch coupled to the third party;
• retrieving information concerning the called party from a first set of call data received at said switch, wherein the first set of call data is configured according to a first telephone signaling protocol;
• assembling a second set of call data for transmission to the third party, wherein said second set of call data is configured according to a second telephone signaling protocol that normally excludes said called party information;
• including said called party information in said second set of call data in place of other information;
• and
• forwarding said second set of call data to the third party.

A system for identifying a called party to a telephone service provider, comprising:

• a first switch configured to receive a call forwarded from the called party, wherein the call is received according to a first signaling protocol configured to include information identifying the called party;
• and
• a communication link coupling the first switch to the telephone service provider, wherein data concerning the call is forwarded to the telephone service provider over the communication link according to a second signaling protocol configured to omit said identifying information;
• wherein said first switch is configured to replace other information in said second signaling protocol with said identifying information.