Patent ID: 7471784

Claim:
A method of routing a call in a communication network by reference to one or more databases, said method comprising: in response to receiving a local number portability request at a service control point (SCP), the SCP accessing said one or more databases to determine whether or not to apply custom call routing to a call to a called telecommunications number, wherein accessing said one or more databases to determine whether or not to apply custom call routing to a call comprises: querying a local number portability (LNP) database with a LNIP query; and receiving, in a LNP response from the LNP database, an indication of whether or not to apply custom call routing to the call, wherein receiving from the LNP database an indication of whether or not to apply custom call routing to the call comprises receiving the indication as a code provided in place of a local routing number (LRN); in response to determining to apply custom call routing to the call, the SCP performing at least a second access to said one or more databases to obtain a local routing number (LRN) associated within said one or more databases with a calling telecommunications number associated with said call, wherein performing at least a second access comprises: performing a second access to said one or more databases to obtain an index attribute associated with said calling telecommunications number; and performing a third access to said one or more databases utilizing said index attribute to obtain said LRN, wherein performing a third access utilizing said index attribute comprises performing a third access utilizing a subscriber name as said index attribute; and providing the LRN to a service switch point in the communication network so that the call is routed to a called station associated with the called telecommunications number.