Patent ID: 8660113

Claim:
A method for routing a call, comprising: assigning, by a processor, a billing number comprising a billing telephone number or a charge number to an access trunk of an egress route between a communication network and a public switched telephone network, wherein the egress route comprises the access trunk connecting between the communication network and the public switched telephone network, wherein the communication network is a packet communication network; identifying, by the processor, all telephone numbers with numbering plan area and NXX codes that are in a same local calling area as the billing number of the access trunk, wherein the access trunk comprises an integrated service digital network primary rate interface access trunk, wherein the access trunk interconnects an egress border element in the communication network and a public switched telephone network switch in the public switched telephone network; and routing, by the processor, the call originating from the communication network and terminating to the public switched telephone network using the access trunk without incurring an access charge, wherein the routing comprises routing the call having a called telephone number that is deemed local to the numbering plan area and the NXX codes that have been identified.