Patent ID: 7656904

Claim:
A system in a building for connecting a telephone set to an Internet Protocol (IP)-based telephone network other than a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) via a home network, for use with a PSTN suitable for providing Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS), the PSTN being operated by a first telephone service provider and comprising a local loop connecting the building to the PSTN, the IP-Based telephone service network being external to the building for carrying Voice over IP (VoIP) packets and being operated by a second telephone service provider different from said first telephone service provider, said system comprising: an AC power wiring that forms a part of the home network, is at least in part in walls of the building, and is accessible at an outlet cavity or outlet opening, said AC power wiring being connected to carry an AC power signal at an AC power frequency and to concurrently carry a digital data signal in a digital data frequency band that is distinct from and higher than, the AC power frequency, the digital data signal containing one or more digitized telephone signals; a gateway connected to said AC power wiring at a first connection point, said gateway being couplable to the PSTN and to the IP-Based telephone service network, said gateway being operative to pass a first one of the digitized telephone signals between the IP-Based telephone service network and said AC power wiring and to pass a second one of the digitized telephone signals between the PSTN and said AC power wiring; and a first adapter housed in a single enclosure connected to said AC power wiring at a second connection point distinct from said first connection point and connectable to a first analog telephone set, said first adapter being operative for converting between analog and digital telephone signals and for coupling one of the first and second ones of the digitized telephone signals carried over said AC power wiring to the first analog telephone set.