U S West, Inc.

Mediaone Group, Inc.

Patrick M Cuddihy

Jafar S Nabkel

Gregory Wilfred Bruening

A method and system for regulating the flow of calls in a communications network. At least one calling area is assigned to each call response center of each service provider. Call regulating functionality is provided in communication with each call response center of each service provider and includes a set of parameters assigned to each calling area served by the call response center as well as a corresponding call regulating algorithm for the assigned calling areas. The call regulating functionality is operative to detect a call from a calling party to a service provider, determine the assigned calling area of the calling party for that service provider, determine the call response center and determine the current values of the assigned parameters for the calling areas assigned to the call response center. Based on these values and the call regulating algorithm, a decision is made whether to proceed with the call to the call response center, route the call to a corresponding holding queue, or route a call previously held in a holding queue.

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Nederland, CO, United States of America

Patrick M Cuddihy