A method and system for determining, through voice recognition, the
geographic location of the initiator of a telephone call. The initiator
dials a specified telephone number and is connected to a computer system.
The telephone number dialed is used in a system that requires knowledge
of the initiator's location to determine the recipient of the call. The
system asks the initiator one of a series of questions, those questions
designed by the user of the system (client) to determine which one of a
plurality of recipients should receive the call. The initiator's verbal
response to each question is digitized using speech recognition
technology. The system uses each digitized response to either assign a
location designator to the call or ask more definitive questions. At the
point where the answers have satisfied the client's location
determination, the point of call origination is determined and a
locational designator is assigned to the initiator. The locational
designator generated by the system can be correlated to a number of
geographic designations, such as postal indicators (e.g., zip code, zip
+4, postal code), major and minor civil divisions, latitude and
longitude, geographic boundaries, political boundaries or client-defined
geography such as service areas, sales territories, or delivery
territories. The locational designator of the initiator is used in place
of the ANI in location-based call routing systems. As a result of such
correlation, this invention is particularly useful for cellular
telephones, non stationary communications devices, emergency services,
dealer locator systems, and delivery services, or any application where
the initiator is connected to one of a plurality of recipients based on
matching the initiator's location to client-defined criteria, including
wherein a recipient's number is a local telephone number. The locational
designator may be defined by a point, a line, a geographic area, an
intersection, or by client-defined criteria.