Patent ID: 8355494

Claim:
A system for processing toll free telephone calls by a telecommunications service provider, said system comprising: a local switch operated by the telecommunications service provider, and configured to receive a telephone call request by a customer in a local service area serviced by the telecommunications service provider; a regional signaling transfer point (STP) in communication with said local switch, and configured to receive information associated with the telephone call request and transport the information; a national STP in communication with said regional STP, and configured to, in response to receiving the information associated with the telephone call request from said regional STP, determine that the telephone call is being placed to a toll free telephone number; an internal service control point (SCP) in communication with said national STP and configured to: in response to receiving the information associated with the telephone call request, determine whether the telephone call is being placed to a toll free telephone number of the telecommunications service provider; and if so, then communicate routing instructions to said national STP; otherwise, notify said national STP that the toll free telephone number is not one of the telecommunications service provider; said national STP, in response to receiving the routing instructions, being further configured to communicate the routing instructions to said regional STP; said regional STP, in response to receiving the routing instructions, being further configured to communicate the routing instructions to said to local switch; and a soft switch in communication with said local switch, and configured to: receive the routing instructions and telephone call request; and connect the telephone call to a toll free telephone of the telecommunications service provider.