A network infrastructure operable to support the exchange of
communications, such as voice communications, between a first client
terminal having a first user identifier and a second (destination) client
terminal associated with a second user identifier (handle). This second
client terminal may be part of a family of client terminals. The network
infrastructure includes a packet-switch network, a shared database and a
number of client terminals serviced by one or more service providers.
These terminals include a network interface and are identified by their
service provider by a network address. The shared database associates
user identifiers, metadata and network addresses. This allows a user to
access the shared database in order to initiate a call request from the
first client terminal to the second client terminal(s). The first client
terminal receives the network address or vectoring information on the
network address of the destination terminal through the shared database.
This shared database may also have metadata used to manage the call. The
destination terminal may receive or redirect the call within the family
of client terminals based on metadata contained within the shared
database or stored locally.