Systems and methods for setting up internet protocol communications

A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when performed by one or more processors of a computer server, cause the computer server to perform a method of routing a communication setup message, the method comprising:

• receiving a communication setup message at the computer server that is received from a first call cluster of an IP telephony system, the communication setup message having been generated in connection with the setup of a telephony communication requested by a first customer of the IP telephony system, the communication setup message including an account identifier associated with the first customer which identifies an account of the first customer which could be charged for the cost of the requested communication;
• determining if the requested communication is directed to a second customer of the IP telephony system;
• routing the communication setup message to a second call cluster of the IP telephony system when the requested communication is determined to be directed to a second customer of the IP telephony system and inserting an account identifier associated with the second customer into the communication setup message before the communication setup message is routed to the second call cluster, the account identifier associated with the second customer identifying an account which could be charged for the cost of communications conducted by the second customer;
• and
• routing the communication setup message to a second telephony system when the requested communication is determined not to be directed to a second customer of the IP telephony system.

A method performed by a proxy server of an Internet protocol (IP) telephony system for routing a communication setup message, comprising:

• receiving a communication setup message at the proxy server that is received from a first call cluster of the IP telephony system, the communication setup message having been generated in connection with the setup of a telephony communication requested by a first customer of the IP telephony system, the communication setup message including an account identifier associated with the first customer which identifies an account of the first customer which could be charged for the cost of the request communication;
• determining if the requested communication is directed to a second customer of the IP telephony system;
• routing the communication setup message to a second call cluster of the IP telephony system when the requested communication is determined to be directed to a second customer of the IP telephony system;
• sending an acknowledgement message to the first call cluster when the requested communication is determined to be directed to a second customer of the IP telephony system, wherein the acknowledgment message includes the account identifier associated with the first customer and an account identifier associated with the second customer which identifies an account of the second customer which could be charged for the cost of communications conducted by the second customer;
• and
• routing the communication setup message to a second telephony system when the requested communication is determined not to be directed to a second customer of the IP telephony system.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon which, when performed by one or more processors of a computer server, cause the computer server to perform a method of routing a communication setup message, the method comprising:

• receiving a communication setup message at the computer server that is received from a first call cluster of an IP telephony system, the communication setup message having been generated in connection with the setup of a telephony communication requested by a first customer of the IP telephony system the communication setup message including an account identifier associated with the first customer which identifies an account of the first customer which could be charged for the cost of the requested communication;
• determining if the requested communication is directed to a second customer of the IP telephony system;
• routing the communication setup message to a second call cluster of the IP telephony system when the requested communication is determined to be directed to a second customer of the IP telephony system;
• sending an acknowledgement message to the first call cluster when the requested communication is determined to be directed to a second customer of the IP telephony system, wherein the acknowledgment message includes the account identifier associated with the first customer and an account identifier associated with the second customer which identifies an account of the second customer which could be charged for the cost of communications conducted by the second customer;
• and
• routing the communication setup message to a second telephony system when the requested communication is determined not to be directed to a second customer of the IP telephony system.