Systems and method for a communications broker

1. A communications broker comprising:

a memory with a look-up table;

one or more connections to associated communications networks; and

a processor operative to:

receive a phone number and a request for information related to the phone number, the request for information comprises one of information on functional status of a phone associated with the phone number and information on roaming status of the phone associated with the phone number;

utilize the look-up table to perform a lookup using the phone number to determine a communications network associated with the phone number;

transmit the request to the communications network for the information related to the phone number;

retrieve the requested information from the phone;

transmit a first response to the requested information;

receive the first response to the request, the first response is un-marshaled and, based on information in the un-marshaled first response, a second response is composed; and

transmit the second response.

2. The communications broker of claim 1 , wherein the processor receives the phone number from an application program interface (“API” operating in an advanced intelligent network (“AIN”) component.

3. The communications broker of claim 1 , wherein the communications network is one of a time division multiple access (“TDMA”), global system for mobile communications (“GSM”), and code division multiple access (“CDMA”) communications network.

4. The communications broker of claim 1 , wherein the first response includes the information relating to the phone number.

5. The communications broker of claim 1 , wherein the request is transmitted to at least one component of the communications network.

6. The communications broker of claim 5 , wherein the first response is received from the at least one component of the communications network.

7. The communications broker of claim 1 , wherein the request is formatted before the request is transmitted to the communications network.

8. The communications broker of claim 1 , wherein the processor runs an application program interface (“API”) to receive the phone number and the request for information.

9. Method for acquiring information relating to a phone number, comprising:

receiving a phone number and a request for information related to the phone number, the request for information comprises one of information on functional status of a phone associated with the phone number and information on roaming status of the phone associated with the phone number;

determining a communications network associated with the phone number by utilizing a look-up table for determining the communications network on which the phone operates;

formatting the request in an appropriate communication logic before transmitting the request to the communications network;

transmitting the formatted request to the communications network on which the phone operates;

retrieving the requested information from the phone and transmitting a first response to the requested information;

receiving the first response to the requested information;

un-marshaling the first response and, based on information in the un-marshaled first response, composing a second response; and

transmitting the second response.

10. The method for acquiring information of claim 9 , further comprising receiving the phone number and the request from an application services provider (“ASP”) application using an application program interface (“API”).

11. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed preform the steps of:

receiving a phone number with a request for information related to the phone number, the request for information comprises one of information on functional status of a phone associated with the phone number and information on roaming status of the phone associated with the phone number;

determining a communications network associated with the phone number;

transmitting the request to the communications network;

retrieving the requested information from the phone and transmitting a first response to the requested information;

receiving the first response to the request; and

un-marshaling the first response and, based on information in the un-marshaled first response, transmitting a second response.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the determining step further includes utilizing a look-up table for determining the communications network.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising formatting the request before transmitting the request to the communications network.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising receiving the phone number and the request from an application services provider (“ASP”) application using an application program interface (“API”).