Method and apparatus for managing call requests in a communication network

A method of managing call requests in a communication network, comprising:

• registering a public identifier associated with a recipient party with said communication network;
• registering a set of approved calling party identifiers associated with said public identifier;
• registering routing instructions for routing call requests from each approved calling party identifier in said set of approved calling party identifiers to at least one private identifier associated with a respective at least one recipient device;
• and
• processing, by said communication network operated by a service provider, call requests for said public identifier in accordance with said set of approved calling party identifiers and said routing instructions.

Apparatus for processing a call request in a communication network, comprising:

• means for receiving, from an originating device, a call request for a public identifier associated with a recipient party;
• means for identifying, by said communication network operated by a service provider, a set of approved calling party identifiers associated with said public identifier;
• means for comparing a calling party identifier associated with said originating device with said set of approved calling party identifiers;
• means for selecting a private identifier for a recipient device based on said calling party identifier;
• and
• means for routing said call request to said recipient device using said private identifier if said calling party identifier is included in said set of approved calling party identifiers.