Method and apparatus supporting non-geographic telephone numbers

Abstract

A communications network may include a translation server containing a NGPN-to-HLR mapping table. The translation server may be a single, centralized translation server; or several TSs may be on the network. When a number of translation servers are used, a VLR or other network entity receiving an NGPN determines which translation server contains the mapping for that NGPN. One way to do this is when a subscriber roams out of his “home” region, his NGPN is presented to the “foreign” service provider's TS. The foreign TS broadcasts a query to all other TSs in the network either simultaneously or in stages. Another way is that a VLR receiving a NGPN performs a hash function on the NGPN. The hash function identifies a translation server. The VLR may then query the translation server and obtain the NGPN-to-HLR mapping. Where a hash function is used, an extendable hash function to accommodate the addition of new TSs without changing the VLR operating systems. Alternatively, where translation servers are identified with hash functions, further additional TSs are accommodated by a two stage TS. A TS split into a number of TSs performs a second hash function to determine the location of the TS having the NGPN-to-HLR mapping requested.