Global local number

Abstract

A system and method provides communication between subscribers of a telephone network and the subscribers of an OTT provider website wherein each of the subscribers of the OTT provider website is assigned a telephone number in a block which is not assigned to any particular country. The system includes terminating a call (e.g., having voice, video, data, and/or messaging) from the telephone network directed to a number in the block, and passing the terminated call to a nearby entry point to the OTT provider website, the OTT website being configured to associate the incoming call with the user's account to which the called number has been assigned. Calls can be placed in the opposite direction, in which case the assigned number is passed into the telephone system as the calling party's number.

1 . A method of providing communication between a first subscriber of a telephone network and a first user of a telecommunications provider (TP) website, the method comprising:
 (a) providing a block of one or more telephone numbers in international format;   (b) assigning individual numbers of the block to users of the TP website;   (c) terminating an incoming call from the first subscriber of the telephone network directed to a number in the block at an entry point to the TP website nearest to the first subscriber;   (d) directing the communication within the TP's network to the first user to which the called number has been assigned.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 (e) initiating an outgoing call within a second user's webpage on the TP website directed to a second subscriber of the telephone network; and 
 (f) forwarding the outgoing call within the TP's network to an exit point domestic to the second subscriber of the telephone network, with the outgoing call being identified as originating from the assigned individual number for the second user. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the TP website is selected from a group consisting of an online dating website and a social networking website. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising announcing the numbers of the block of one or more telephone numbers in a worldwide telephone signaling network. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein cost to the first subscriber is reduced by making (i) interworking agreements with mobile operators that allow domestic rates for a caller and (ii) bilateral SMS agreements based on standard protocols, to cover the transmission of the incoming call to the nearest entry point to the TP's website. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the incoming call comprises one or more of voice, SMS, data, and video. 
     
     
         7 . A system for providing communication between subscribers of a telephone network and users of a telecommunications provider (TP) website, the system comprising:
 the telephone network having a first plurality of registered subscribers;   the TP website having a second plurality of users, wherein each of the users of the second plurality is assigned a telephone number in a block which is not assigned to any particular country; and   a plurality of call terminating devices, each configured to terminate an incoming call from the telephone network directed to any number in the said block, and to pass the terminated call to an entry point to the TP website, the TP website being configured to associate the incoming call with the user's account to which the called number has been assigned.   
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 7  wherein the TP website is configured to display an indicia and accept an input for a user indicating that the user wishes to make an outgoing call directed to a particular subscriber of the telephone network, wherein the TP has a network configured to route the outgoing call within the TP's network to an exit point of the TP's network closest to the subscriber of the telephone network, with the outgoing call being identified as originating from the assigned individual number for the user of the TP's website. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the incoming call comprises one or more of voice, SMS, video, and data. 
     
     
         10 . A method for providing communications between (i) subscribers of a plurality of telephone networks in a plurality of geographical areas and (ii) TP users of a telecommunications provider (TP) network, the method comprising:
 (a) assigning telephone numbers in a block of one or more telephone numbers in international format to the TP users; and   (b) arranging for each telephone network to process telephone calls from its subscribers to TP users as domestic calls, independent of the geographical area in which the TP users are located, such that, when a first subscriber (e.g.,  301 ) of a first telephone network (e.g.,  302 ) in a first geographical area makes a telephone call to a first TP user (e.g.,  305 ):
 the telephone call from the first subscriber is routed by the first telephone network to a telephone/TP interface network (e.g.,  303 ) as a domestic call based on the arrangement of step (b); 
 the interface network converts the telephone call into a TP call and routes the TP call to the TP network (e.g.,  304 ); and 
 the TP network routes the TP call to the TP user. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the interface network has a first interface node in the first geographical area;   the TP network has a first TP node in the first geographical area and a second TP node in a second geographical area different from the first geographical area; and   when the TP user is in the second geographical area:
 the telephone network routes the telephone call to the first interface node in the first geographical area; 
 the interface network routes the TP call to the first TP node in the first geographical area; 
 the TP network routes the TP call from the first TP node in the first geographical area to the second TP node in the second geographical area; and 
 the TP network routes the TP call from the second TP node in the second geographical area to the TP user. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the interface network has a first interface node in the first geographical area and a second interface node in a second geographical area different from the first geographical area;   the TP network has a TP node in the second geographical area; and   when the TP user is in the second geographical area:
 the telephone network routes the telephone call to the first interface node in the first geographical area; 
 the interface network routes the TP call from the first interface node in the first geographical area to the second interface node in the second geographical area; 
 the interface network routes the TP call from the second interface node in the second geographical area to the TP node in the second geographical area; and 
 the TP network routes the TP call from the TP node in the second geographical area to the TP user. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the TP call is a VoIP call. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the domestic call is a local call. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the telephone call comprises one or more of voice, video, data, and messaging. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the TP network is an over-the-top (OTT) network. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the interface network determines whether a second telephone network charges a second subscriber at a higher non-domestic rate or a lower domestic rate for telephone calls made by the second subscriber;   if the interface network determines that the second telephone network charges the second subscriber at the higher non-domestic rate, then the interface network prevents an incoming telephone call from the second subscriber from being routed as a TP call to the TP network.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the interface network transmits a message to the second subscriber informing the second subscriber that the incoming telephone call was blocked without any cost to the second subscriber. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the interface network prevents the incoming telephone call from the second subscriber from being routed as a TP call to the TP network at the discretion of the TP network. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (e) determining whether a second telephone network charges a second subscriber at a higher non-domestic rate or a lower domestic rate for telephone calls made by the second subscriber; and   (f) preventing an incoming telephone call from the second subscriber from being routed as a TP call to the TP website, if step (e) determines that the second telephone network charges the second subscriber at the higher non-domestic rate.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 (g) transmitting a message to the second subscriber informing the second subscriber that the incoming telephone call was blocked without any cost to the second subscriber.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the interface network prevents the incoming telephone call from the second subscriber from being routed as a TP call to the TP network at the discretion of the TP network.