Patent ID: 8655393

Claim:
A computerized telephone system comprising: a receiver configured to receive from a first local telephony device a first text message addressed to a first local platform telephone number, the first text message including a first remote telephone number of a first remote telephony device; a controller configured to (1) verify that an account of the first local telephony device will allow transmission of a portion of the first text message to the first remote telephony device and (2) transmit the portion of the first text message to a remote telephony platform that will forward the portion of the first text message to the first remote telephony device; and a transmitter configured to transmit to the first local telephony device a first local telephone number different than the first local platform number and different from the first remote telephone number for use in subsequent communications from the first local telephony device to the first remote telephony device, wherein the receiver receives from the first local telephony device (a) the first local telephone number and (b) a second text message for the first local telephone number, and wherein the controller transmits the second text message to be delivered to the first remote telephone number without the first local telephony device including the first remote telephone number in the second text message, and wherein the second text message sent to the first local telephone number does not include an account number associated with the first local telephony device.