Patent ID: 7505767

Claim:
An apparatus for bridging calls across telecommunications networks, said apparatus comprising: a call bridging server for receiving and handling a request, wherein said request is formed using at least one of Short Message Service (SMS), Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), Internet browser, or a voice-based call using Dual-Tone-Multi-Frequency (DTMF) Interactive Voice Response, and wherein said request is receivable from a first mobile station respective to a subscriber to initiate a voice call to a called number at a second mobile station via one of a plurality of interfaces from one of a further plurality of messaging gateways, and wherein said call bridging server is configured to perform a requisite syntax and validity check to determine if said request is well formed and to determine said subscriber's location in a Home Location Register (HLR); said call bridging server being further configured to normalize the called number; said call bridging server being further configured to initiate a first call leg from said call bridging server to said first mobile station and to initiate a second call leg from said call bridging server to said second mobile station; and said call bridging server being further configured to complete said voice call by joining said first call leg with said second call leg.