System and method for generating a network call identifier

Abstract

A system and method for the switches of a telecommunications network to create and transport a network call identifier (NCID) which uniquely identifies a telephone call as it traverses through a telecommunications network. Upon receipt of a telephone call in a switch, the switch first determines whether it has received an NCID with the telephone call. If the switch received an NCID, the switch determines whether it is a valid NCID and should be transported with the telephone call. If the received NCID should not be transported, the switch discards the received NCID and creates a new NCID for the telephone call. Alternatively, upon the receipt of a telephone call, if the switch determines that a NCID was not received, the switch determines if an NCID should be created. The switch creates an NCID if it determines that an NCID should be created for the telephone call. If the NCID is created or kept, the switch stores the NCID in an appropriate call record that contains information about the telephone call. After the switch creates an NCID, records a valid received NCID, or determines not to create an NCID, and completes the telephone call's call record, the switch transports the telephone call to the telephone call's destination. The NCID provides a mechanism for matching the call records associated with a specific telephone call and tracing the telephone call through the telecommunications network.