Patent ID: 8416720
Filing Date: 2013-04-09
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for supporting telecommunications over a wide area network, comprising: at a server located between a first and a second communications site, wherein the first and the second communications sites communicate using the server and further, wherein each communications site includes a transceiver to directly communicate with a remote unit over a wireless communication link: receiving a first message at the server from a steward associated with the first communications site that supports telecommunications for at least a first remote unit whose home communications site is the first communication site, the first message requesting at least one address associated with the at least a second communications site that is associated with a call group from which the first remote unit has requested to receive telecommunications content, communicated through a logical port at the first communications site and maintaining the logical port open for at least a minimum period; receiving a second message at the server from an envoy associated with the second communications site that brokers call setup between the first remote unit and the steward, the second message requesting an identifier associated with the first communications site; and the server communicating a third message to the first communications site through the logical port to facilitate peer-to-peer communications between the first and the second communications site, the third message identifying the second communications site as a candidate for establishing a peer-to-peer communications link with the first communications site resulting in a peer-to-peer communications link being established between the first communications site and the second communications site, wherein the peer-to-peer communications link does not rely on the server for transporting packets between the first communications site and the second communications site.