The end of roaming charges? Counterpath secures mobile routing patent

Counterpath’s new U.S. patent, called “Routing Mobile Voice Calls”, describes how a Network Convergence Gateway detects and monitors a mobile subscriber’s location and then routes calls to either a packet-based (IP) endpoint or the traditional circuit switched entity.

Counterpath (TSX:CCV) today announced it has been awarded a mobile patent it believes will prove valuable as the Vancouver-based company continues to expand worldwide.

U.S. patent number 8,335,187, called “Routing Mobile Voice Calls”, describes how a Network Convergence Gateway detects and monitors a mobile subscriber’s location and then routes calls to either a packet-based (IP) endpoint or the traditional circuit switched entity.

CEO Donovan Jones says the patent will provide convenience and saving to consumers:

“The mobile number has become the primary method of how end-users interact with family, friends and colleagues, by being a reliable mechanism that enables a person to stay connected with one number, regardless of location,” he said. “This patent also adds to CounterPath’s intellectual property value by protecting our partners and customers in the quickly growing Mobile VoIP and OTT markets.”

Counterpath today described ways in which the patent might be applied. If a person takes a traditional circuit call on their cell phone then heads to their workplace, for instance, the Network Convergence Gateway will recognize this and route the calls to Counterpath’s Bria IP endpoint on their phone.

That same employee can use the technology to avoid roaming charges when traveling because the service will route calls over the data channel instead of the circuit switched channel.

Counterpath says it now has a total of 16 patents, with another seven pending.

At press time, shares of Counterpath on the TSX were up 2.6% to $2.

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