Methods and systems for billing and routing local toll-free calls

A system for routing a telephone call from an originating party who dials a local toll-free call comprising:

• means for receiving information related to an originating number;
• means for transmitting the originating number information to a local intelligent network element;
• means for-receiving information related to a terminating number,
• means for transmitting the terminating number information to the local intelligent network element;
• means for having the local intelligent network element compare the geographical location of the originating number information to the geographical location of the terminating number information;
• if the comparison is within the same telecommunication service area and if there is at least one participating local switch, means for routing the originating number to the at least one participating local switch serving the terminating number;
• means for completing the local toll-free communication to the terminating number;
• means for transmitting a call record to a billing database;
• and
• means for billing for the local toll-free communication.

A method for discriminating among toll-free calls to identify each communication that originates and terminates within a common geographic area in order to bill the communication at a selected rate, the method comprising:

• receiving an identifier associated with an origination point in which the communication originates;
• determining a destination point associated with the destination to which the communication is directed;
• analyzing the origination point and the destination point to determine whether the communication may be routed via a local telecommunications service provider;
• and
• billing the communications routed by a local telecommunications service provider at the selected rate.