Patent ID: 8630299

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a first border element comprising a processor located at a customer premises for: receiving a first message at the first border element from a session initiation protocol-based communication device located at the customer premises, wherein the first border element is located at a border of the customer premises; performing customer premises functions in response to the first message, wherein the customer premises functions comprise a call admission control function, a quality of service control function, a firewall control function, and a media relay function; translating an address associated with the first message to a translated address associated with a second border element located at a border of a service provider voice over internet protocol network; sending the first message to the second border element located at the border of the service provider voice over internet protocol network using the translated address, the second border element providing a single connection point for the first border element and the service provider voice over internet protocol network; receiving from the second border element a second message indicative of a first quality of service to be provided by the first border element to a call in response to the first message, wherein the first quality of service is directed by the service provider voice over internet protocol network; establishing the call using the first quality of service; and transcoding a first media stream associated with the call from a first format to a second format, wherein the transcoding is directed by the service provider voice over internet protocol network.