Improved systems and methods for call and call feature setup,
administration and processing on PSTN and other telecommunications
networks are provided. Calls are set up on a service plane of a
conceptual switch that includes a switch plane, control plane, and
service plane that are analogous to the OSI layered model of networks
including a physical layer, network layer and application layer. Call
set-up logic is separated from the switching fabric, allowing for
flexible, on-demand, modification of service options using software while
maintaining the same switching fabric in hardware. Call set-up is
accomplished by a call request made upon connection of a call to the
switch. This causes a call agent to search an eXtensible Markup Language
knowledge base to find a web page corresponding to the initiating caller.
The Web page may be collocated with the switch or on a LAN with the
switch or on the "Web," even on the caller's termination equipment
(telephone).