Patent ID: 8570906
Filing Date: 2013-10-29
Classification: H04L,H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
1. A method for assigning a virtual phone number during porting of a primary phone number in a communication network, comprising: receiving, by an application server in the communication network, a request from a customer to port the primary phone number to the communication network; assigning, by the application server, the virtual phone number to the customer in response to receiving the request to port the primary phone number; mapping, by the application server, the virtual phone number to an internet protocol address associated with an endpoint device of the customer; and porting, by the application server, the primary phone number to the communication network for the customer, wherein the primary phone number is unavailable for receiving a call during the porting, and wherein the virtual phone number is useable for receiving a call during the porting, mapping, by the application server, the primary phone number to the internet protocol address associated with the endpoint device of the customer after the primary phone number has been successfully ported, wherein the primary phone number and the virtual phone number are both used to receive incoming calls for the customer; offering, by the application server, an option to the customer to continue to use both the primary phone number and the virtual phone number simultaneously; and disconnecting, by the application server, the virtual phone number if the customer decides to only retain the primary phone number.