Telecom information for web services that are provided by a telecom network

1. A system comprising:

a web service gateway in a packet-switched network having a processor configured to receive service requests for web services from web-based applications that are formatted according to an open Application Programming Interface (API), to convert the service requests into protocols that are used by network elements that provide the web services, and to forward the service requests to the network elements;

the web service gateway is further configured to receive a service request for a web service from a web-based application;

the web service gateway is further configured to determine that at least a portion of the web service includes a voice service provided by a telecom network, to transmit a query to a telecom data element in the telecom network requesting information from the telecom data element that relates to the voice service as part of the web service,

to receive a response from the telecom data element that includes the telecom information that relates to the voice service, and to process the telecom information to determine how to handle the service request for the web service.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the web service gateway is further configured to convert the service request from the open API to a second protocol used in the telecom network, to select a subset of the telecom information to insert in the converted service request, and to transmit the converted service request to the network element of the telecom network that provides the voice service as part of the web service.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the telecom information comprises context information that relates to the voice service. the first protocol comprises an open Application Programming Interface (API).

4. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the telecom information comprises policy rules that relate to the voice service provided by the telecom network as part of the web service.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the telecom information comprises a subscriber profile for at least one party involved in the web service.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein:

an interface between the telecom data element and the web service gateway comprises a Diameter interface.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the open API comprises RESTful.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the open API comprises SOAP.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the open API comprises Parlay X.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the web service gateway is further configured to process the telecom information with a policy engine to generate policy rules for the web service, and to determine whether or not to forward the service request to the network element of the telecom network based on the policy rules.

11. A method operable in a web service gateway of a packet-switched network that receives service requests for web services from web-based applications that are formatted according to an open Application Programming Interface (API), converts the service requests into protocols that are used by network elements that provide the web services, and forwards the service requests to the network elements, the method comprising:

receiving a service request for a web service in the web service gateway from a web-based application;

determining, at the web service gateway, that at least a portion of the web service includes a voice service provided by a telecom network;

transmitting a query from the web service gateway to a telecom data element in the telecom network requesting information from the telecom data element that relates to the voice service as part of the web service;

receiving a response in the web service gateway from the telecom data element that includes the telecom information that relates to the voice service; and

processing the telecom information at the web service gateway to determine how to handle the service request for the web service.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

converting, at the web service gateway, the service request from the open API to a second protocol used in the telecom network;

selecting a subset of the telecom information to insert in the converted service request; and

transmitting the converted service request from the web service gateway to the network element of the telecom network that provides the voice service as part of the web service.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the telecom information comprises context information that relates to the voice service provided by the telecom network as part of the web service.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the telecom information comprises policy rules that relate to the voice service provided by the telecom network as part of the web service.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the telecom information comprises a subscriber profile for at least one party involved in the web service.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein:

an interface between the telecom data element and the web service gateway comprises a Diameter interface.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the open API comprises RESTful.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the open API comprises SOAP.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the open API comprises Parlay X.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

processing the telecom information with a policy engine at the web service gateway to generate policy rules for the web service; and

determining whether or not to forward the service request to the network element of the telecom network based on the policy rules.