Patent ID: 7817619

Claim:
A method of telecommunication over a wide area packet switched network, the method comprising: sending from a calling party a called number, corresponding to a called party and including an area code, to a first central office connected to a first telephone system; forwarding the called number from the first central office to a first telephony server, connected to the first telephone system and in communication with the wide area packet switched network, via a signaling channel of the first telephone system; identifying a second telephony serve, in communication with the wide area packet switched network and serving said called party in a second telephone system, from a routing and administration database by using at least said area code, the identifying comprising: sending a routing request via the wide area packet switched network from the first telephony server to a routing and administration server having said routing and administration database, the routing request including said area code, and receiving from the routing and administration server via the wide area packet switched network a routing response including the identity of said second telephony server and a predetermined communication path corresponding to the second telephony server, and; sending the called number from the first telephony server to the second telephony server via said wide area packet switched network; allocating a resource on the wide area packet switched network sufficient to provide a guaranteed level of service through the wide area packet switched network; and selectively establishing a communication link, via the resource at least the guaranteed level of service, between the first telephony server and the second telephony server through the wide area packet switched network, to establish communication between the calling and called parties.