Patent ID: 7877083

Claim:
A computer implemented method in a communication device for automatically verifying and updating a telephone number across service providers, the computer implemented method comprising: responsive to a telephone number within a plurality of telephone numbers stored in a storage device being automatically dialed into a central repository by a telephone number verification unit in a cellular telephone during non-peak cellular telephone service provider network hours on a predetermined periodic basis in the background when the cellular telephone is not in use, wherein, the verification unit when enabled can only connect the cellular telephone to the central repository, determining, by the telephone number verification unit in the cellular telephone, if the central repository indicates that a new telephone number is associated with the dialed telephone number, wherein the central repository stores data from a plurality of databases for a plurality of different cellular telephone service providers, and wherein the central repository is synchronized with the plurality of databases for the plurality of different cellular telephone service providers; responsive to the central repository indicating that a new telephone number is associated with the dialed telephone number, querying, by the telephone number verification unit in the cellular telephone, the central repository for the new telephone number; and updating, by the telephone number verification unit in the cellular telephone, the storage device with the new telephone number.