Patent ID: 7570633

Claim:
A method for routing a call in a packet-based network, comprising: receiving a call setup message in the packet-based network, wherein the call setup message comprises a request to set up a call to an endpoint connected to the packet-based network, wherein the request to set up the call specifies a called number; sending a request to a call screening database to determine how to handle the call setup message; receiving one or more responses from the call screening database, wherein the one or more responses comprises one or more of (i) a message indicating that the call should be allowed on the packet-based network, (ii) a translated number based on the called number, (iii) a routing index that indicates a destination of the call, and (iv) an indication to set up the call using the translated number and the routing index; and setting up the requested call based on the response from the call screening database, wherein the operation of setting up the requested call comprises, within the packet-based network, restarting the requested call using the translated number and the routing index if the one or more responses provides a translated number and a routing index.