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Description  |
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and system for unified messaging
services, and in particular relates to a system and method which makes
voice mail, facsimile mail and E-Mail conveniently accessible to receive
as well as to transmit and to allow crossover in both the type of document
that is received or transmitted. The retrieval of messages can be
accomplished in a number of distinctly different manners whereby the user
has significantly more freedom and choice regarding message retrieval.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
INTERNET.TM.now provides a network where a subscriber typically contracts
with a commercial access provider (CAP) and obtains an Internet address as
well as the capability to send and receive E-Mail on Internet and perform
other functions which Internet supports. The subscriber typically uses his
personal computer and modem to contact the commercial access provider
using the public switched telephone network (PSTN), and once connected to
Internet, performs the desired functions. The CAP provides an E-Mail box
for the subscriber and the subscriber, when connected to the CAP, can
review the contents of this electronic mailbox.
E-Mail can be transmitted to other subscribers of Internet located in a
host of different countries and provides a cost effective system for
transmitting data from one E-Mail subscriber to another across different
E-Mail systems nationally or internationally.
E-Mail systems have been available for many years and although they provide
a very cost effective alternative to facsimile transmissions, the
popularity of E-Mail does not nearly approach the popularity of voice and
facsimile messaging and the number of users is many times lower.
Our U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,713,837, 4,922,518, 4,942,599 and 4,969,184 disclose
systems for more efficient transmission and/or retrieval of facsimile
communications, which can involve the use of dedicated data transmission
networks. Facsimile transmissions have been rerouted in the case of long
distance transmissions to a computer which uses a data communication to
provide a more effective link to another computer which then uses the
public switched telephone network to phone out and complete the
transmission.
Companies have examined the approaches for conducting business and, in many
cases, it is now felt that certain individuals within the company require
their own private facsimile address as well as a convenient mechanism for
receiving voice mail. Confidentiality may also be important. Office
workers have also become much more familiar with computer equipment and
have become more comfortable using the computer equipment to transmit or
receive certain messages or conduct searches on different electronic
databases.
The present invention has recognized the need for a system of transmission
and central approach for combining these different message types. The
invention also allows the many millions of facsimile machines throughout
the world to be more cost effectively accessible by other facsimile
machines and computers and where the message type can be in addition to a
traditional facsimile message.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A messaging system according to the present invention having a bank of
direct-in-dial (DID) telephone lines associated with a public switched
telephone network and a computer system which also acts as a commercial
access provider for the Internet or other data communication networks
through which digital messages can be delivered. The computer system
provides each subscriber with an E-mail address and account for the data
communication network, as well as a fax telephone address and a voice mail
telephone address, where a communication addressed to any of the addresses
results in the computer system receiving and storing the particular
message in an electronic messaging mailbox for retrieval by the respective
subscriber. The computer system is accessible to any subscriber using the
public switched telephone network and/or the data network for retrieval of
communications stored on behalf of the subscriber or a summary of the
communications whereby the subscribers may contact a single automated
source for retrieval of voice mail, E-mail, data files, or facsimile
transmissions received on its behalf by the computer system. Similarly,
the system is accessible to anyone wishing to leave a voice, facsimile, or
other message for the subscriber by dialing the telephone number
associated with the subscriber's electronic message mailbox. As a result,
data networks, such as Internet, are accessible by devices other than
computers, namely by telephones and facsimile terminals.
In the preferred embodiment, the voice mail and facsimile mail telephone
addresses are the same and the computer distinguishes between the two
types of communications when the in-bound call is received. Use of any of
the addresses results in a connection with the commercial access providing
computer which stores the addressed communication in an electronic
messaging mailbox for retrieval by the respective subscriber. The
commercial access providing computer allows each subscriber to access and
retrieve communications stored in his electronic messaging mailbox or a
summary of communications stored in his electronic mailbox. The retrieval
can be carried out using any of (1) a telephone set which forms a
telephone communication with a suitable commercial access providing
computer, or (2) a computer and modem which forms a telephone
communication with a suitable commercial access providing computer, or (3)
a facsimile machine which forms a telephone communication with a suitable
commercial access providing computer.
According to yet a further aspect of the invention, the commercial access
providing computer with respect to some subscribers converts received
E-Mail and other communications addressed to the subscriber to a facsimile
format such that the messages may be delivered to a predetermined
facsimile address designated for receipt of messages sent to the
subscriber. In this way, the subscriber can have an E-Mail address which
others can use to provide them with information, but he has predetermined
that he, on occasion or always, wants to receive this as a facsimile
communication or other specified communication.
The communication system can also operate where the commercial access
providing computer includes an arrangement for automatically delivering an
alert signal by means of a broadcast which is received by the equipment of
the subscriber, and the reception thereof instructs the subscriber's
equipment to automatically receive the communications by initiating a
communication with the commercial access providing computer and then
retrieving the communication. In this way, the communication system can
provide automatic delivery of communications, given that the subscriber's
equipment is available at that time.
This communication system can also work as a global voice mail and fax mail
system where, if a particular line is busy or not answered, the call is
diverted to a suitable commercial access providing computer which will
receive the diverted communication which is forwarded to the communication
system. This method uses the call forwarding technology of existing public
switched telephone networks, and thus, the communication system provides
the subscriber with the ability to receive all communications, including
voice and fax messages.
According to yet a further aspect of the invention, the communication
system includes at least two commercial access providing computers, each
interconnected to the Internet, and wherein the subscribers to the system
can access either of the two commercial access providing computers for
retrieval of communications stored on behalf of the subscriber.
Information is effectively exchanged between the two commercial access
providing computers when necessary to allow retrieval of the information
by the subscriber by accessing either of the computers. This effective
communication between the computers using the Internet, allows a fast,
reliable and cost-effective transfer of information. Such a system has the
benefit of providing the subscriber with access to the closest commercial
access providing computer and can reduce long distance charges as well as
improve the quality of the communication channel, as typically a local or
shorter long distance call is required to connect with the particular
commercial access providing computer. Thus, Internet becomes the transport
backbone of a global voice and fax mail system and opens Internet to
transparent access by telephones, facsimile terminals and other
non-subscriber devices.
The present invention is also directed to a unified messaging system
comprising a computer system which is connected to a public switched
telephone network and a high speed data communication network through
which E-Mail, facsimiles and voice mail may be transferred.
The invention is also directed to a method of transmitting of voice, E-Mail
and facsimile messages destined for a particular identified subscriber,
which messages are received by a computer system of a commercial access
provider connected to a data communication network through which E-Mail is
transported. The computer system is also connected to a public switched
telephone network by means of which facsimile transmissions and voice
transmissions are received and transmitted, and wherein a subscriber may
access the computer for retrieval of messages stored in his electronic
message mailbox on his behalf. The retrieval of messages can use the
public switched telephone network and the data communication network
directly connected to access the subscriber's electronic message mailbox
or retrieval can use the public switched telephone network to form a
direct connection with the computer system for retrieval of messages. This
method provides the subscriber with a number of alternatives for accessing
his particular electronic message mailbox including using the data
communication network to access his mailbox when this is the most
desirable or cost effective manner to retrieve the communications.
Internet provides access to millions of computers throughout the world. The
present invention, preferably uses Internet and provides access to
hundreds of millions of telephones and fax machines resulting in a Global
Voice Mail and Fax Mail System in addition to the existing capabilities of
Internet.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is an overview of the unified messaging service and how it can
interact with a data communication network;
FIG. 2 is an overview showing certain features of the system, and in
particular the type of structure used to unify the various communication
messages of a subscriber and a common electronic mailbox and the various
means for retrieval of the information;
FIG. 3 shows an overview of how the system can be used to effectively
connect a subscriber to the data communication network and to his
individual electronic mailbox for effective retrieval of messages;
FIG. 4 is an overview showing an effective manner for delivering a
facsimile in a cost effective manner; and
FIG. 5 shows a schematic of how the system can be used to complete a voice
communication channel to a telephone set in a distant geographical
location.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The term "UniPost" will be used to describe a new type of commercial access
provider of the type associated with Internet. UNIPOST.TM. provides
dial-in access to its subscribers through specialized access computers
called UniPost Access Nodes (UANs) located in different geographical
regions (see FIG. 1). Each UniPost Access Node provides a subscriber with
an E-Mail address and account, preferably an Internet address, for example
:
jsmith@acmefireworks.com.
This address provides access to the subscriber for other Internet
subscribers, and for subscribers to services that have gateways into
Internet. In addition, the subscriber is provided with a Personal Mailbox
Telephone Number, for example: 1-416-555-1234, and Personal ID Number
(PIN): 63265. Therefore, a UniPost subscriber may be provided with the
following:
______________________________________
Internet Address: gordon@toronto.unipost.com
Personal Mailbox Number:
1-416-555-1234
Personal ID Number or password:
63265
______________________________________
The UniPost Access Node provides the subscriber with access to all normal
facilities of Internet, including E-Mail, databases, conferences, and
forums. The UniPost Personal Mailbox Number provides the subscriber with
an access point which can receive messages from terminals other than
computers, specifically from telephones and facsimile machines. Thus, his
Personal Mailbox Number allows for receipt of voice and facsimile
messages. With this arrangement, the subscriber can be contacted by the
millions of PC users in the world familiar with E-mail, as well as the
hundreds of millions of telephone and facsimile devices now in use.
Furthermore, the various received communications are received by a
centralized system and can be retrieved by the subscriber his or her
convenience. The fact that the various UniPost Access Nodes are
distributed throughout various countries and the world and connected by
the Internet or another commonly available data communication network
makes retrieval of messages more effective. Furthermore, each UniPost
Access Node can include arrangements for converting of various
communications from one form to another making retrieval easier and more
flexible. For example, a subscriber may not wish to actually receive
E-Mail as E-Mail, but may wish to have an E-Mail address. When a
communication is address to him using the E-Mail address, the UniPost
Access Node may convert it to a facsimile transmission and send it out to
the subscriber as a facsimile transmission. In this way, the subscriber
need not have the capability of receiving all transmissions and can use
certain features of the UniPost Access Nodes for conversion of
communications received in one form to another form. The UniPost access
mode can also provide conversion of facsimile transmissions to E-mail, or
E-Mail to speech. In this way, subscribers need not have their own
conversion hardware and/or software.
Turning to FIG. 1, the communication system 2 includes the Internet 4,
which is a well known communication network. Internet has a number of
Internet commercial access providers (CAPs) 8 which each have a host of
subscribers who then have access to the various services of Internet
typically using their personal computers. The conventional Internet access
provider would provide each subscriber with an Internet address and
password number for retrieval of E-Mail. One such subscriber 22 is shown
using the local public switched telephone network 10 to gain access to the
generic Internet CAP for transferring a file to E-Mail subscriber
"gordon@toronto.UniPost.com" indicated as 12. This is via the Toronto
UniPost Access Node 6, which includes the electronic Mailbox of Gordon.
Gordon can either be alerted that an E-Mail communication has been
received or may call in to the UniPost Access Node 6 from time to time, as
indicated by line 24, go through the necessary protocol with the UniPost
Access Node 6 or any UAN worldwide, and eventually receive the E-Mail, or
other voice, facsimile, or other messages indicated by line 26.
Messages to the UniPost Internet subscriber 12 can also be made from a
facsimile machine 14, from a telephone set 16, from a computer modem
connection indicated as 18, or a message via Binary File transfer (BFT)
indicated by the apparatus 20. Each of these devices communicate to the
UniPost Access Node 6 through the local public switched telephone network
10 and effectively gain access to the electronic mailbox of
gordon@toronto.unipost.com provided by the UniPost Access Node. Note that
both voice messages and facsimile messages are sent to the same telephone
address and Toronto UniPost Access Node 6 distinguishes between these two
types of transmissions and stores the communication in the appropriate
electronic message mailbox, as will be fully described with respect to
FIG. 2. Again, the communications can be accessed by the UniPost Internet
subscriber 12 making contact with the Toronto UniPost Access Node 6 or any
other UAN worldwide and retrieving of communications that have been
received for the subscriber. It can also be appreciated that forced
delivery can occur if the subscriber has a piece of equipment which can
receive an alert signal and then form a with the UniPost Access Node. In
this way, the UniPost Access Node does not have to continue to try to make
contact with the subscriber and the subscriber's equipment only calls into
UniPost Access Node 6 when a transmission has been received and can now be
retrieved. Our earlier patents disclose automatic retrieval of facsimile
transmissions which can be used in this application for message retrieval.
The Toronto UniPost Access Node can also deal with the various
communications received for a subscriber in different manners. For
example, a subscriber may wish to have UniPost Access Node maintain
communications for a certain period of time, even after they have been
delivered to the subscriber. In contrast, other subscribers may wish to
have all messages abandoned once they have been delivered. Therefore, the
preferences of the individual subscriber can be accommodated according to
selections made at the time of retrieval or according to a predetermined
arrangement.
Thus, to a caller calling a UniPost subscriber from a telephone, the UAN
will behave like a voice mail system. For callers calling a UniPost
subscriber from a facsimile machine, the UAN will behave like a receiving
facsimile machine. Likewise, the subscriber can use a telephone, facsimile
machine or computer to retrieve his messages from any UAN. A telephone
will facilitate playback and management of voice message, indication of
other message types and mailbox status, and possibly text-to-speech
conversion of E-Mail. A facsimile machine will facilitate retrieval of
facsimile messages, display of E-Mail, and notification of other message
types and mailbox status. A computer will facilitate retrieval and
management of all message types, including voice, facsimile, E-Mail, video
and any other file type. UniPost software resident in the computer will
allow for the convenient retrieval, playback, viewing, filing and general
management of all message types.
A UniPost Access Node 6, which has a host of direct in-dial telephone lines
indicated as 11, can also have out-dial lines for contacting of
subscribers or destined terminals. The UniPost Internet subscriber 12 need
not always be in the form of a portable computer and the subscriber can
have his messages delivered to a permanent computer or a facsimile
machine, when appropriate. For example, a file transfer from 22 to a
facsimile machine of the subscriber can occur where the Toronto UniPost
Access Node converts the communication to a facsimile communication and
then forwards the communication to the particular facsimile machine. This
type of communication conversion occurs transparently to the sender.
Turning to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the Toronto UniPost Access Node 6
includes a hard disk 50 which is subdivided to provide each subscriber
with a separate electronic message mailbox, generally shown as 30. Within
the electronic mailbox is, typically, a facsimile in-box 32, a voice
in-box 34, an E-Mail box 36 and a facsimile out-box 38. FIG. 2 shows how
the subscriber can retrieve various communications stored in his
electronic mailbox. The Toronto UniPost Access Node 6 will include a
summary of the various messages that have been received for the
subscriber. This summary is available to the subscriber in voice form,
facsimile form or E-Mail form depending on the type of terminal used for
retrieval. The retrieval of messages in the electronic mailbox using a
computer and modem shown as 12 can follow the conventional practice,
however, E-Mail, voice, facsimile, and other message types can be
retrieved by the computer. The facsimile message can be processed using an
optical character recognition arrangement within the UniPost 6 to provide
a text file, or it can be merely sent as a graphic image. Therefore, the
system does provide the computer terminal and modem 12 with the means to
retrieve additional communications other than merely E-Mail messages.
Furthermore, voice messages may be sent to the computer and replayed
through speakers or the voice messages may be converted into text
communications.
FIG. 2 also illustrates how the facsimile machine 25 or the telephone set
27 can retrieve information. For example, if the subscriber is at the
facsimile machine 25 and wishes to retrieve messages, he can contact the
Toronto UniPost Access Node 6, key in his particular password, and direct
the UniPost Access Node to send the facsimile message to the machine
preferably directly without forming a further communication. On the other
hand, the subscriber could use the telephone set 27 to get a summary of
messages received as well as any voice messages, and then direct the
Toronto UniPost Access Node 6 to send E-Mail or facsimile messages to the
facsimile machine 25. Any communications received for the subscriber are
placed in the appropriate box within the electronic mailbox 30. Therefore,
it can be seen that the Toronto UniPost Access Node 6 and other UniPost
Access Nodes have the capability of communicating with the subscriber in a
number of different manners and allow him to receive information regarding
messages received and for the transfer of the messages to him in a number
of forms. The subscriber need not have a computer and modem connection to
the UniPost Access Node to effectively have information or messages sent
out in a particular manner.
FIG. 2 shows UniPost Access Nodes 6 in Toronto New York and Tokyo. Access
nodes can be distributed throughout a country. All major cities may have
UniPost Access Nodes. Thus, each country typically will have many UniPost
Access Nodes.
FIG. 3 shows other advantages of the system which are particularly
appropriate with respect to subscribers who travel and often are quite
distant from their particular UniPost Access Node. In this case, the
"gordon@toronto.unipost.com" UniPost Internet subscriber, generally
indicated as 12, is in Japan and uses the local public switched telephone
network 10 to contact the Tokyo UniPost Access Node 6. After proper
identification of the subscriber, the Tokyo UniPost Access Node uses
Internet 4 to access the electronic mailbox 30 of the subscriber and
allows retrieval of the various contents of the various boxes. For
example, the personal computer 12 can receive voice messages, facsimile
messages, E-Mail and file transfer, or the Internet subscriber 12 could
use the telephone set 29 to retrieve voice messages and possibly the voice
summary of messages received and have them played back to him.
Furthermore, E-Mail or facsimile messages can be directed by the
subscriber to a facsimile machine, shown as 31. Therefore, both access to
the system and retrieval of information is not limited to a single
technology, but can make use of a personal computer and modem connection,
a telephone set connection, or a facsimile machine connection with one of
the UniPost Access Nodes for both accessing a mailbox and retrieving the
contents thereof. It can also be appreciated that the example shown in
FIG. 3 has allowed the subscriber 12 to form a relatively local connection
using the public switched telephone network 10 to contact the Tokyo
UniPost Access Node 6. This is then connected to the Toronto UniPost
Access Node 6 and the electronic mailbox of the subscriber via an Internet
or dedicated data communication channel. Information is retrieved from the
mailbox and provided to the UniPost Access Node, also by this data
communication channel provided by Internet. In contrast to a single
UniPost Access Node, the multiple access nodes, shown in FIG. 3,
advantageously use the dedicated data communication network to
interconnect the access nodes and reduces the need for long distance
telephone communications with a particular computer. For example, if the
UniPost Internet subscriber 12 in FIG. 3 was merely a subscriber to the
generic Internet access provider shown as 8, he would have to use the
local public switched telephone network as well as a long distance
telephone network to access the generic Internet access provider 8. This
access provider would then deliver the information back to the subscriber.
This results in a long distance telephone communication which is not
capable of transmitting the data at the same rate or accuracy as the
Internet system and results in a system which is not as convenient or cost
effective as the UniPost system described above. There can be a host of
UniPost Access Nodes distributed throughout a country.
FIG. 4 shows how a facsimile transmission addressed to a particular address
in Japan can effectively use the UniPost access system. In this case, the
transmission is sent from the facsimile machine 60 via the public switched
telephone network 10 to the UniPost Access Node 6. The facsimile machine
60 can include add-on devices to cause this long distance call to be
rerouted or the communication may first be made to the Toronto UniPost
Access Node and thereafter to the Japanese address. Therefore, in this
case, the user provides the direction to initiate the contact with the
Toronto UniPost Access Node 6. The Toronto UniPost Access Node 6
recognizes that it is a transmission to be received in Japan, receives the
transmission, and then uses the Internet data transmission system 4 to
transfer the facsimile to the Tokyo UniPost Access Node 6. The Tokyo
UniPost Access Node 6 then uses the public switched telephone network 10
to deliver the UniPost to the particular address identified in the
original transmission. With this arrangement, the facsimile has been
recognized as being a data transmission and redirected to make use of a
data communication system and then receive the communication in a
geographical location much closer whereby the local public switched
telephone network may be effectively used. With this arrangement, the
facsimile transmission is carried over a data communication channel the
greatest distance and in a cost effective and accurate manner, and the
public switched telephone network is then used to deliver the message.
Similarly, a local connection with the public switched telephone network
is used to deliver the message to the originating UniPost Access Node.
Fortunately, with local lines, the cost is either free or inexpensive and
typically the quality of the connection is quite high. Therefore, there is
a reasonable connection, and thus, a relatively fast transmission between
the original facsimile machine 60 and the Toronto UniPost Access Node 6.
Similarly, there is a fairly efficient transfer at the other end between
Tokyo UniPost Access Node 6 and the final facsimile machine indicated as
62. If the originating leg of the transmission is slow, it typically does
not increase the cost substantially, as it is a local call. Similarly, if
the last leg of the transmission is slow, it is not particularly
expensive, as it is again a local call. By redirecting the transmission,
the high quality of the data transmission network is utilized, and thus,
the cost for this portion of the transmission is also low.
This would be in contrast to the same transmission which is sent over a
public switched telephone network to the facsimile machine 62. In that
case, because of the various steps and the fact that that system has not
been designed specifically for data transmission, the transmission rates
are quite low and are really determined by the originating facsimile
machine, the receiving facsimile machine and the quality of the
communication channel therebetween. Often, because of the very substantial
distance involved, even if the originating facsimile machine and the
receiving facsimile machine have high rates of data transfer, the
communication channel can be the limiting link and result in very slow
transmission speeds and quite high costs. There can be a substantial cost
saving with the method described, and the elimination of busy signals for
the sender which uses the data communication network for the most
important portion of the communication path.
FIG. 5 also shows how this UniPost system can be used for providing a
direct telephone link using the data transmission network involving
Internet. In this case, voice is transmitted digitally and a live
communication is maintained between Toronto UniPost Access Node 6 and
Tokyo UniPost Access Node 6. Each of these have formed a live
communication with the originating telephone set and the receiving
telephone set. This can thus provide the subscriber with a further cost
advantage in completing his international communications or other long
distance communications.
The discount long distance voice messaging requires that each UniPost
Access Node is able to accept and digitize voice calls. The actual data
communication link utilizes protocols and routing logic which ensures that
the digitized voice packets remain in sequence from sender to recipient.
As with long distance facsimile calls, the call originator will dial the
local UniPost Access Node and enter his account and the number of the
recipient. The UniPost Access Node will establish a packet path between
the originating UniPost Access Node and the destination UniPost Access
Node closest to the recipient. The destination UniPost Access Node will
then place a local call to the recipient and deliver the voice message.
The present system also allows UniPost to encrypt transmissions between
UniPosts and avoid inadvertent disclosure to others. For example,
encryption and decryption are carried out by UniPost using state of the
art technology, and thus, the transmission over Internet or other data
networks is protected. This security is provided transparently to the
sender and the receiver and provides security generally corresponding to
traditional non-encrypted facsimile transmissions. Additional security can
include predetermined encryption of the communication on either of the
first or last telephone legs of the communication. For example,
communications between a subscriber and UniPost can be encrypted in a
predetermined manner and, if desired, the last leg can be encrypted in a
predetermined manner. A subscriber can specify or choose various levels of
security for different messages or retrieval of different messages.
As previously described, the system can also utilize other technology for
forced delivery of any of the communications. This typically involves a
signal being sent to the subscriber which is not necessarily a telephone
based signal. For example, pager communications can be used where the
terminal recognizes that its address is included in the broadcast signal
and provides proper alert. This alert can be recognized by the machine to
complete a communication to the UniPost Access Node or it can merely alert
the actual human subscriber. It is also possible for the access node to
use voice notification where the UniPost Access Node outdials a
prespecified telephone number and plays a voice message indicating that a
message has been received. Depending upon the number specified, a voice
message may be played back to a normal telephone or into a voice mail
system.
The present invention also has particular application as a back-up system
used in combination with call forwarding technology. In this way,
businesses can have this as a back-up where if a particular number is busy
or not answered, the call is forwarded to the UniPost Access Node, which
accepts the call and then eventually causes it to be transmitted out to
the particular party or is available for retrieval. Multiple reception of
various types of communication is provided without the subscriber adding
further communication.
There are other digital data networks other than Internet which can also be
utilized and Internet is described herein as it is the most common and
perhaps has the widest subscribers of E-Mail. The invention is not limited
to the Internet. The drawings have also referred to various UniPosts in
different countries, but it can well be appreciated that various UniPosts
can be provided throughout a large geographical area, such as the United
States. UniPost Access Nodes could be provided in Los Angeles, Washington,
New York, Chicago, New Orleans, etc. In fact, UniPost Access Nodes may be
desirable in all major cities. It is also possible to use a single
facility and have a 1-800 or other toll-free number for a particular
region, country or group of countries.
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