Patent ID: 7852755

Claim:
A method of operating a communication device, the method comprising: providing a broadband-communication link coupled to the communication device, the broadband-communication link being configured to transmit a telephone signal, wherein a first telephone number is associated with the broadband-communication link; providing an alternative communication link coupled to the communication device, the alternative communication link being configured to transmit the telephone signal, wherein a second telephone number is associated with the alternative communication link; transmitting the telephone signal via the broadband-communication link, between a first endpoint associated with the first telephone number and located at of the communication device and a remote second endpoint distant from the first endpoint; and in the case of the telephone signal being transmitted via the broadband-communication link when a power failure occurs at the communication device, transferring transmission of the telephone signal from the first telephone number to the second telephone number by sending a call-transfer command from the communication device to a service provider of the first telephone number, the call-transfer command initiating the transfer of an ongoing telephone signal transmission from the broadband-communication link to the alternative communication link by re-routing the transmission of the telephone signal so as to replace the first endpoint with a further endpoint associated with the second telephone number and located at the communication device, and maintaining the ongoing telephone signal transmission at the remote second endpoint; and receiving the transferred transmission on the alternative communication link.