Patent ID: 7606217

Claim:
A method for routing a telephone call over a voice and data network (VDN), the method comprising: receiving a call from a remote communication device at a telecommunications gateway (TCG), wherein the call is directed to a called telephone number associated with the TCG and with a telephone physically coupled to the TCG; determining whether the call is to be redirected as a voice and data network (VDN) call, wherein the determination is made based on whether a caller is authorized to use the VDN; when the caller is authorized to use the VDN, redirecting the call as the VDN call by converting the call at the TCG into a format compatible with the VDN and connecting the converted call to a destination device via the VDN; and when the caller is not authorized to use the VDN, allowing the call to proceed by connecting the call to the telephone physically coupled to the TCG.