Patent ID: 6975717

Claim:
A system for selective processing of calls using alternative network telephony for a telephone equipment associated with local telephone wiring, comprising: an alternative network telephony call processing system having a first connection to the local telephone wiring and a second connection to an alternative network, the call processing system comprising a processor configured to: receive called party data indicating a destination to which a calling party using a local telephone equipment desires to place a call; determine transparently to the calling party whether the called party data satisfies a first criteria for completing calls via alternative network telephony; complete the call via the alternative network using alternative network telephony if it is determined that the called party data satisfies said first criteria; and complete the call via the public switched telephone network (PSTN) if it is determined that the called party data does not satisfy said first criteria; whereby the call is completed either using alternative network telephony or via the PSTN automatically and transparently to the calling party depending on whether or not the called party data satisfies said first criteria; and a connector interposed between the telephone equipment and the local telephone wiring, the connector being configured to modify outgoing audio data received from the telephone equipment and provide the modified outgoing audio data to the local telephone wiring; wherein the alternative network call processing system is configured to receive modified outgoing audio data via the local telephone wiring, restore the modified outgoing audio data to its original form, and send the restored outgoing audio data to the destination via alternative network telephony in the case of a call to be completed via alternative network telephony and via the PSTN in the case of a call to be completed via the PSTN.