Patent ID: 8159958

Claim:
A method for monitoring communication between two different communication networks operated by two different network service providers, comprising: sending a ping message from a switch to a dongle device located in a device that represents a boundary between the two different communication networks operated by the two different network service providers, wherein the two different network service providers comprise a local exchange carrier and a competitive local exchange carrier and the boundary represents where a call between a calling party and the called party is handed off between the local exchange carrier and the competitive local exchange carrier, receiving the ping message at the dongle device, and processing the ping message at the dongle device, sending a feedback to the switch from the dongle device in response to the ping message, and evaluating the feedback at the switch to determine whether communications between a first component operated by a first one of the two different network service providers and a second component operated by a second one of the two different network service providers are in sync using the ping message.