SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TERMINATING TELEPHONY COMMUNICATIONS TO MOBILE TELEPHONY DEVICES
Systems and methods for terminating telephony communications to a mobile telephony device associated with a first native telephone number are disclosed. The method comprises: receiving, from a native mobile telephony provider network associated with the first native telephone number, a telephony communication that was originally directed to the first native telephone number but which has been forwarded to a forwarding access number, where the telephony communication includes a header comprising the first native telephone number; retrieving the native telephone number from the header; mapping the native telephone number to a mobile telephony device of a subscriber; and terminating the received telephony communication to the mobile telephony device associated with the native telephone number.
1 . A method for terminating telephony communications to a mobile telephony device associated with a first native telephone number, comprising:
receiving, from a native mobile telephony provider network associated with the first native telephone number, a first telephony communication that was originally directed to the first native telephone number but which has been forwarded to a forwarding access number, where the first telephony communication includes a header comprising the first native telephone number;
retrieving the native telephone number from the header;
mapping the native telephone number to a mobile telephony device of a subscriber; and
terminating the received telephony communication to the mobile telephony device associated with the native telephone number.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a second telephony communication directed to the forwarding access number; determining that the second telephony communication does not indicate that it was directed to a native telephone number that is associated with a known mobile telephony device; and discarding the second telephony communication.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first telephony communication is received from a first cellular service provider that provides cellular service to a first service area.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the mobile telephony device is located in a second service area capable of receiving cellular service from a second cellular service provider that provides service coverage in the second service area.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein mapping the native telephone number to a mobile telephony device of a subscriber comprises:
identifying a subscriber identifier associated with the first native telephone number; and
identifying a mobile telephony device associated with the subscriber identifier.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein terminating the received telephony communication comprises routing the telephony communication through a data network.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a second telephony communication that was originally directed to a second native telephone number but which has been forwarded to the forwarding access number, where the second telephony communication includes a header comprising the second native telephone number;
retrieving the second native telephone number from the header;
mapping the second native telephone number to a mobile telephony device of a second subscriber; and
terminating the received second telephony communication to the mobile telephony device associated with the second native telephone number.
8 . A method for terminating telephony communications to a mobile telephony device associated with a native telephone number, comprising:
receiving a plurality of requests directed to a general forwarding access number to establish telephone communication sessions with a plurality of devices,
for each request, identifying a native telephone number to which the request was originally directed;
for each request that includes a pre-determined header:
retrieving the native telephone number from the pre-determined header;
mapping the native telephone number to a mobile telephony device of a subscriber; and
terminating the received telephony communication to the mobile telephony device associated with the native telephone number.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the telephony communication is received from a first cellular service provider that provides cellular service to a first service area.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein mapping the native telephone number to a mobile telephony device of a subscriber comprises:
identifying a subscriber identifier associated with the native telephone number; and
identifying a mobile telephony device associated with the subscriber identifier.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein terminating the received telephony communication comprises routing the telephony communication through a data network.
12 . A system for terminating telephony communications to a mobile telephony device associated with a first native telephone number, comprising:
a mobile connection unit configured to receive, from a native mobile telephony provider network associated with the first native telephone number, a first telephony communication that was originally directed to the first native telephone number but which has been forwarded to a forwarding access number, where the first telephony communication includes a header comprising the first native telephone number; retrieve the native telephone number from the header; and map the native telephone number to a mobile telephony device of a subscriber; and
a forwarding instruction unit configured to terminate the received telephony communication to the mobile telephony device associated with the native telephone number.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the mobile connection unit is further configured to receive a second telephony communication directed to the forwarding access number; determining that the second telephony communication does not indicate that it was directed to a native telephone number that is associated with a known mobile telephony device; and discard the second telephony communication.
14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the mobile connection unit is configured to receive the telephony communication from a first cellular service provider that provides cellular service to a first service area.
15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the mobile telephony device is located in a second service area and is capable of receiving cellular service from a second cellular service provider that provides service coverage in the second service area.
16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the mobile connection unit is configured to map the native telephone number to a mobile telephony device of a subscriber by:
identifying a subscriber identifier associated with the native telephone number; and
identifying a mobile telephony device associated with the subscriber identifier.
17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the forwarding instruction unit is configured to terminate the received telephony communication by routing the telephony communication through a data network.
18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the forwarding instruction unit is further configured to send a telephony communication to the subscriber's mobile telephony device, wherein the telephony communication includes caller ID information, and the native telephone number.
19 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the mobile connection unit is further configured to:
receive a second telephony communication that was originally directed to a second native telephone number but which has been forwarded to the forwarding access number, where the second telephony communication includes a header comprising the second native telephone number;
retrieve the second native telephone number from the header;
map the second native telephone number to a mobile telephony device of a second subscriber; and
terminate the received second telephony communication to the mobile telephony device associated with the second native telephone number.