Patent ID: 7145900

Claim:
A system for providing telephony service over the Internet, comprising in combination: a call client downloadable to a user device located on the Internet, the call client communicating both media and first call-control data across the Internet according to a non-native protocol, the media including voice data, wherein the call client includes a port scan module to identify Internet Protocol ports open for communication; a database for determining whether a user associated with the user device is authorized to communicate via a call with a second user accessible through a Public-Switched Telephone Network (PSTN); a gateway located at an interface between the Internet and the PSTN, the gateway communicating according to a native protocol; a Packet-switched Telephony Service Provider (PTSP) both the media and the first call-control data across the Internet with the call client according to the non-native protocol, the PTSP further communicating both the media and second call-control data across the Internet to the gateway according to the native protocol so that the call can be connected to the PSTN; and a call logger associated with the PTSP and tracking calls.