System and method for re-routing incoming calls

A method for routing communications directed to a directory number corresponding to a first subscriber line, wherein a redirection service is operative with respect to the communications directed to the directory number to automatically direct the communications away from the directory number, without intervention by a calling party, to at least one other directory number corresponding to a second subscriber line whenever the directory number to which the communications are directed is temporarily inoperative due to a temporary service disruption, the method comprising:

• configuring a switch to receive each of the communications in a switched telephone network, wherein each of the communications is directed to the temporarily inoperative directory number having the redirection service;
• configuring the switch to detect for each of the communications the temporarily inoperative directory number corresponding to the first subscriber line associated with the communication;
• connecting a service control point to the switch;
• configuring the switch to provide the temporarily inoperative directory number to the service control point and to redirect a current one of the communications to the at least one other directory number corresponding to the second subscriber line once instructed to do so when the switch detects that the temporarily inoperative directory number is inoperative for the current communication and to complete the current communication to the temporarily inoperative directory number when the switch detects that the temporarily inoperative directory number is operative;
• maintaining a database of subscriber information;
• configuring the service control point to search the database of subscriber information for a matching entry to the temporarily inoperative directory number;
• and
• configuring the service control point to:
• instruct the switch to redirect the current communication away from the temporarily inoperative directory number to the at least one other directory number upon finding the matching entry, and
• retain the temporarily inoperative directory number for routing a subsequent one of the communications thereto after the service disruption has been resolved.

A system for routing communications directed to a directory number corresponding to a first subscriber line, wherein a redirection service is operative with respect to the communications directed to the directory number to automatically direct the communications away from the directory number, without intervention by a calling party, to at least one other directory number corresponding to a second subscriber line whenever the directory number to which the communications are directed is temporarily inoperative due to a temporary service disruption, the method comprising:

• means for configuring a switch to receive each of the communications in a switched telephone network, wherein each of the communications is directed to the temporarily inoperative directory number corresponding to the first subscriber line having the redirection service;
• means for configuring the switch to detect for each communication whether the temporarily inoperative directory number associated with a current one of the communications is inoperative;
• means for connecting a service control point to the switch;
• means for configuring the switch to provide the temporarily inoperative directory number to the service control point when the switch detects that the temporarily inoperative directory number is inoperative for the current communication, to complete the current communication to the at least one other directory number corresponding to the second subscriber line when instructed to do so, and to complete the current communication to the temporarily inoperative directory number when the switch detects that the temporarily inoperative directory number is operative;
• means for maintaining a database of subscriber information;
• means for configuring the service control point to search the database of subscriber information for a matching entry to the temporarily inoperative directory number received from the switch;
• means for configuring the service control point to instruct the switch to redirect the current communication away from the temporarily inoperative directory number to the at least one other directory number upon finding the matching entry, and
• means for configuring the service control point to retain the temporarily inoperative directory number for routing a subsequent one of the communications thereto after the service disruption has been resolved.

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of:

• configuring a switch to receive communications in a switched telephone network, wherein the communications are directed to a directory number corresponding to a first subscriber line having a directory service, wherein the directory service is a redirection service that is operative with respect to the communications directed to the directory number and automatically directs the communications away from the directory number, without intervention by a calling party, to at least one other directory number corresponding to a second subscriber line whenever the directory number to which the communications are directed is temporarily inoperative due to a temporary service disruption;
• configuring the switch to detect for each communication whether the temporarily inoperative directory number associated with a current one of the communications is inoperative, to complete the current communication to the at least one other directory number when instructed to do so, and to complete the current communication to the temporarily inoperative directory number when the switch detects that the temporarily inoperative directory number is operative;
• connecting a service control point to the switch;
• configuring the switch to provide the temporarily inoperative directory number to the service control point when the switch detects that the temporarily inoperative directory number is inoperative;
• maintaining a database of subscriber information at the service control point;
• configuring the service control point to search the database of subscriber information for a matching entry to the temporarily inoperative directory number;
• and
• configuring the service control point to instruct the switch to redirect the current communication away from the temporarily inoperative directory number to the at least one other directory number upon finding the matching entry;
• and
• configuring the service control point to retain the temporarily inoperative directory number for routing a subsequent one of the communications thereto after the service disruption has been resolved.