A network function operable in a communication network, in which the network function is configured to receive a call setup request from an emergency service to set up a call between the emergency service and a user terminal, the received call setup request comprising a called party identifier. The network function determines whether the called party identifier is of a first type or of a second, different type, wherein the first type of called party identifier comprises a dialable number temporarily associated with the user terminal for use in receiving a call from the emergency service. In response to determining that the called party identifier is of the first type, the network function transmits priority indication data to a further network function in the communication network in order to cause the further network function to prioritize handling of the call between the emergency service and the user terminal.

Aspects of the present disclosure provide a system and method in which allocation and management of shared virtual numbers is achieved. In an embodiment, a request is received from an external server, over a network, for allocation and de-allocation of virtual numbers among agents and customers. Thereafter, a first virtual number is allocated and mapped between a first agent and a first customer, and the same first virtual number is also allocated and mapped between a second agent and a second customer. Such allocation and mapping enables communication between corresponding agents and customers. In addition to the allocation, a number may also be de-allocated. For example, the first virtual number mapping between the first agent and first customer can be de-allocated, thereby deactivating the first virtual number for a predetermined time, during which time the first virtual number is not allocated to another combination of a customer and an agent.

A cost-effective system and method of sending and receiving high quality phone calls over a low-cost network (e.g., a local area network, a WiFi network, etc.) with a wireless device, where such phone calls would typically have been delivered over a cellular network to the wireless device is provided herein. The system enables the wireless device to retain a phone number assigned by its home cellular network to send and receive calls, while still sending and receiving such calls over the low-cost network. The system also enables wireless devices to be authenticated with the home network of the wireless device for purposes other than sending and receiving high-quality phone calls.

A method for handling calls to be moved within a system having an unmonitored domain and a monitored domain can include the step of upon first arrival of a call at said un-monitored domain, a context of said call based on a called number, a calling number, and any redirection number(s) included in said call can be provided. Another step of the method can include, for each movement of said call between said unmonitored domain and said monitored domain, providing a unique number to be temporarily used for said particular movement, based on said call context, while avoiding that said unique number is used to move any other call within the system at the same time. An apparatus for can be configured to facilitate performance of the method (e.g. communication system, a device, non-transitory memory, etc.).

A computer-implemented technique can include joining, by a computing device having one or more processors, a conference session hosted by a server via a wireless computing network. In response to joining the conference session, the computing device can receive, from the server via the wireless computing network, a dial-in telephone number for reconnecting to the conference session. The computing device can detect a trigger condition indicative of a need to reconnect to the conference session via a cellular telephone network. In response to detecting the trigger condition, the computing device can initiate a telephone call to the dial-in telephone number via the cellular telephone network. In response to the server obtaining authentication of a caller identification of the computing device, the computing device can rejoin the conference session via the cellular telephone network.

A method and a call manager node (200) for handling calls directed to a group of subscribers. When receiving (2:3) a request from a caller (202) for access to a first group of subscribers (204) having at least one common characteristic, the call manager node assigns (2:4) first caller-specific temporary group number (A1) for the caller, wherein the first group number can be used exclusively by the caller for calling the subscribers in the first group. The call manager node further sends (2:5) the first group number to the caller in response to the request. The caller is then connected (2:7, 2:9, 2:11) to a subscriber in the first group sequentially or according to a scheme each time the caller dials (2:6, 2:8, 2:10) the first group number. The group is created according to a criteria and the anonymity of the called parties is kept. Call hunting.

A method for handling calls to be moved within a system having an unmonitored domain and a monitored domain can include the step of upon first arrival of a call at said unmonitored domain, a context of said call based on a called number, a calling number, and any redirection number(s) included in said call can be provided. Another step of the method can include, for each movement of said call between said unmonitored domain and said monitored domain, providing a unique number to be temporarily used for said particular movement, based on said call context, while avoiding that said unique number is used to move any other call within the system at the same time. An apparatus for can be configured to facilitate performance of the method (e.g. communication system, a device, non-transitory memory, etc.).

Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium for dynamic contact information assignment. A method includes: identifying a pool of telephone numbers; assigning the telephone numbers to a pool manager; allocating by the pool manager, subsets of the telephone numbers to a plurality of allocators, each allocator responsible for allocating telephone numbers to an associated group of content sponsors; determining a first allocation of a first subset, the first allocation being distributed among the content sponsors associated with a first allocator, creating first pools each associated with a respective one of the content sponsors associated with the first allocator; reclaiming one or more telephone numbers from a pool of the first pools; and assigning ones of the reclaimed telephone numbers by the first allocator into either other pools of the first pools or back to the pool manager for allocation to other allocators.

A system for temporary user association based on call state, comprising: a communication device; a call state engine; and a user association service. The communication device is a network-connected electronic device; the call state engine is a software application operating on the communication device and maintains a state model of the current operation of the communication device; the call state engine sends data to the user association service; and the user association service generates user association information based at least in part on data received from the call state engine.

A method for establishing a temporally following voice connection of a user of a call center facility to the call center facility after a temporally preceding voice connection of the user to the call center facility has been established and has ended, wherein the temporally following voice connection relates to the temporally preceding voice connection, includes: in a first step, the temporally preceding voice connection between the user and the call center facility is established; in a second step that follows the first step, the temporally preceding voice connection is ended; in a third step that follows the second step, a text-oriented message is transmitted to the user, wherein the text-oriented message indicates the possibility of establishing the temporally following voice connection that relates to the temporally preceding voice connection; and in a fourth step that follows the third step, the temporally following voice connection is established.