Patent ID: 7277422

Claim:
A method for transmitting a modulated signal over a packet network, the method comprising the steps of: receiving the modulated signal that is modulated in conformance to a protocol; demodulating the modulated signal with reference to the protocol to produce a demodulated digital signal; packetizing the demodulated digital signal into a packet; transmitting the packet over a packet network; receiving the packet; recovering the demodulated digital signal from the packet; modulating the demodulated signal in accordance with the protocol to produce a virtual modulated signal; and transmitting the virtual modulated signal over a circuit-switched telephone network; receiving data identifying a destination for a data call; and performing a database query with the data identifying the destination to determine a virtual modem location associated with the destination; and wherein the step of transmitting the packet over a packet network includes the step of transmitting the packet over a packet network to the virtual modem location associated with the destination; wherein the step of receiving the packet includes the step of receiving the packet at the virtual modem location associated with the destination; and wherein the step of transmitting the virtual modulated signal includes transmitting the virtual modulated signal over a circuit-switched telephone network to the destination.