The present invention is generally directed to the processing of telephone calls and more specifically addresses the handling of calls which originate using different types of communications equipment as part of a common community or organization.
A variety of different types of telecommunications equipment provide services to subscribers. For example, private branch exchanges (PBXs), Centrex service equipment and conventional central office switching equipment can each provide a variety of telecommunications services to subscribers directly supported by the equipment. Geographically separated groups of subscribers which are members of a common organization, such as employees of a corporation, may be served by different types of equipment. For example, a group of employees working for a large corporation in Chicago, Ill., may be served by PBX services, while another group of employees of the same company may be served by Centrex equipment in Dallas, Tex. While both types of equipment provide a variety of services, a problem exists in that the PBX and Centrex equipment are not compatible with regard to common call processing parameters. Thus, a company with groups of subscribers served by different types of equipment is not provided the opportunity to treat the entire employee population as part of a single community with regard to call processing parameters and control. A need exists for an improvement which will permit an organization to achieve common control of call processing for groups of subscribers served by different types of service equipment.