Patent ID: 7412527

Claim:
A method for providing a telecommunications service between a first instant messaging (IM) network operated by a first internet service provider and a second IM network operated by a second internet service provider, the first internet service provider being different from the second internet service provider, comprising: providing an internet server that can establish communications with the first IM network and the second IM network; receiving, at the internet server, a request from a first party to contact a second party and a third party via an IM session, wherein the second party subscribes to the first IM network and the third party subscribes to the second IM network; accessing a database associated with the first party to identify the first IM network as the IM network to which the second party subscribes; accessing the database to identify the second IM network as the IM network to which the third party subscribes; and establishing an independent IM session between the first party and the second party on the first IM network via the internet server, and an independent IM session between the first party and the third party on the second IM network via the internet server, such that any messages sent by any of the first, second or third parties can be received and seen by each of the first, second and third parties.