The present invention provides a method and system for assuring H.323
alias address portability to an H.323 user in real-time H.323 multimedia
communications where the H.323 user is registered with a home gatekeeper
for the home zone of the H.323 user. Alias address portability may be
obtained using a central database that is known to the administrative
zones and is used for alias address mapping, or alternatively, may be
obtained by using a distributed database. The method may be implemented
by: sending, by the H.323 user, a message with a called H.323 entity's
alias address, to the home gatekeeper to originate a call to the called
H.323 entity; confirming that the alias address, services, and service
providers are portable; converting the alias address to a called routable
alias address for the called H.323 entity and sending the alias address
to the H.323 user; and placing the call to the called H.323 entity.