A method for controlling routing of a telephone call in real time, the method being carried out by a physically distributed call control system operative as a call center, the distributed call control system comprising at least a carrier network system and a call routing system remote from the carrier network system, the carrier network system including an incoming gateway for receiving a telephone call and a Voice-over-IP pathway coupled to an internet pathway (120, 121) for directing the telephone call to a termination point associated with a human operator agent, the call routing system including a routing module and a network interface connected to the carrier network system via a signalling-only pathway that does not carry voice channels, the method comprising: receiving a telephone call at the incoming gateway of the carrier network system; separating, at the carrier network system, the received telephone call into a signalling channel carrying call information about the telephone call and a bearer channel carrying voice content of the telephone call; sending, in real time from the carrier network system to the network interface of the call routing system via the signalling-only pathway, incoming call information taken from the signalling channel; determining, at the routing module of the call routing system, a particular termination point to which said telephone call should be delivered based on the incoming call information and on information and availability of a qualified human operator agent at the termination point to establish the call; sending, by the network interface of the call routing system via the signalling-only pathway, a call routing signal instructing the carrier network system to route the bearer channel of the received telephone call to the particular termination point; causing the carrier network system, upon receipt of the call routing signal, to connect the incoming gateway to the internet pathway (120, 121) via a digital voice packet connection to carry voice content of said bearer channel; and directing, by the carrier network system, voice content of said bearer channel of said telephone call via the internet pathway (120, 121) to said particular termination point. receiving a telephone call at the incoming gateway of the carrier network system; separating, at the carrier network system, the received telephone call into a signalling channel carrying call information about the telephone call and a bearer channel carrying voice content of the telephone call; sending, in real time from the carrier network system to the network interface of the call routing system via the signalling-only pathway, incoming call information taken from the signalling channel; determining, at the routing module of the call routing system, a particular termination point to which said telephone call should be delivered based on the incoming call information and on information and availability of a qualified human operator agent at the termination point to establish the call; sending, by the network interface of the call routing system via the signalling-only pathway, a call routing signal instructing the carrier network system to route the bearer channel of the received telephone call to the particular termination point; causing the carrier network system, upon receipt of the call routing signal, to connect the incoming gateway to the internet pathway (120, 121) via a digital voice packet connection to carry voice content of said bearer channel; and directing, by the carrier network system, voice content of said bearer channel of said telephone call via the internet pathway (120, 121) to said particular termination point.