Global local number

1. A method for providing communications between (i) subscribers of a plurality of telephone networks in a plurality of geographical areas and (ii) TP users of a telecommunications provider (TP) network, the method comprising:

(a) assigning telephone numbers in a block of one or more telephone numbers in international format to the TP users, wherein the telephone numbers in international format are without a country assignment; and

(b) arranging for each telephone network to process telephone-network calls from its subscribers to TP users as domestic calls, independent of the geographical area in which the TP users are located, wherein:

when a first subscriber of a first telephone network in a first geographical area makes a first-telephone-network call to a first TP user:

the first-telephone-network call from the first subscriber is routed by the first telephone network to a telephone/TP interface network as a domestic call;

the interface network converts the first-telephone-network call into a TP call and routes the TP call to the TP network; and

the TP network routes the TP call to the TP user;

the interface network determines whether a second telephone network charges a second subscriber at a non-domestic rate or a domestic rate for second-telephone-network calls made by the second subscriber, where the non-domestic rate is higher than the domestic rate;

the interface network determines that the second telephone network charges the second subscriber at the higher non-domestic rate, and then the interface network prevents an incoming second-telephone-network call from the second subscriber from being routed as a TP call to the TP network; and

for any incoming telephone-network call, the interface network can only either (i) reject the incoming telephone-network call or (ii) convert the incoming telephone-network call into a TP call and route the TP call to the TP network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the interface network has a first interface node in the first geographical area;

the TP network has a first TP node in the first geographical area and a second TP node in a second geographical area different from the first geographical area; and

when the TP user is in the second geographical area:

the telephone network routes the first-telephone-network call to the first interface node in the first geographical area;

the interface network routes the TP call to the first TP node in the first geographical area;

the TP network routes the TP call from the first TP node in the first geographical area to the second TP node in the second geographical area; and

the TP network routes the TP call from the second TP node in the second geographical area to the TP user.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the interface network has a first interface node in the first geographical area and a second interface node in a second geographical area different from the first geographical area;

the TP network has a TP node in the second geographical area; and

when the TP user is in the second geographical area:

the telephone network routes the first-telephone-network call to the first interface node in the first geographical area;

the interface network routes the TP call from the first interface node in the first geographical area to the second interface node in the second geographical area;

the interface network routes the TP call from the second interface node in the second geographical area to the TP node in the second geographical area; and

the TP network routes the TP call from the TP node in the second geographical area to the TP user.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the TP call is a VoIP call.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the domestic call is a local call.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first-telephone-network call comprises one or more of voice, video, data, and messaging.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the TP network is an over-the-top (OTT) network.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interface network determines that the second telephone network charges the second subscriber at the higher non-domestic rate, and then the interface network transmits a message to the second subscriber informing the second subscriber that the incoming second-telephone-network call was blocked without any cost to the second subscriber.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interface network determines that the second telephone network charges the second subscriber at the higher non-domestic rate, and then the interface network prevents the incoming second-telephone-network call from the second subscriber from being routed as a TP call to the TP network at the discretion of the TP network.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the telephone/TP interface network is nearest to the first subscriber.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first-telephone-network call from the first subscriber is connected at an entry point to the TP network nearest to the first subscriber.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the telephone numbers in international format are assigned to one or more social networking websites without a country assignment.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein, for the first telephone network, costs are set by an interworking agreement between the first telephone network and the TP network such that the first-telephone-network call is charged at a local/domestic rate to the first subscriber independent of the geographical location of the first TP user.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein, for each of the plurality of telephone networks, costs are set by a corresponding interworking agreement between the telephone network and the TP network such that (i) any telephone-network call from any telephone-network subscriber to any TP user is charged at a corresponding local/domestic rate to the first subscriber independent of the geographical location of the TP user and (ii) any TP call from any TP user to any telephone-network subscriber is charged at a corresponding local/domestic rate to the TP user independent of the geographical location of the TP user.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein, if the TP network does not have an exit point within a local or inter-working telephone network, then, when a TP user places a TP call to a subscriber of the local or inter-working telephone network, the TP call is routed to an existing exit point of the TP network that minimizes call cost.

16. A method for providing communications between (i) subscribers of a plurality of telephone networks in a plurality of geographical areas and (ii) TP users of a telecommunications provider (TP) network, the method comprising:

(a) assigning telephone numbers in a block of one or more telephone numbers in international format to the TP users, wherein the telephone numbers in international format are without a country assignment; and

(b) arranging for each telephone network to process telephone-network calls from its subscribers to TP users as domestic calls, independent of the geographical area in which the TP users are located, wherein:

when a first subscriber of a first telephone network in a first geographical area makes a first-telephone-network call to a first TP user:

the first-telephone-network call from the first subscriber is routed by the first telephone network to a telephone/TP interface network as a domestic call;

the interface network converts the first-telephone-network call into a TP call and routes the TP call to the TP network; and

the TP network routes the TP call to the TP user;

the interface network determines whether a second telephone network charges a second subscriber at a non-domestic rate or a domestic rate for second-telephone-network calls made by the second subscriber, where the non-domestic rate is higher than the domestic rate; and

the interface network determines that the second telephone network charges the second subscriber at the higher non-domestic rate, the interface network prevents an incoming second-telephone-network call from the second subscriber from being routed as a TP call to the TP network, and the interface network transmits a message to the second subscriber informing the second subscriber that the incoming second-telephone-network call was blocked without any cost to the second subscriber.