Patent ID: 7180890

Claim:
A system, comprising: a first phone that comprises a connector component that is operationally connectable through a packet network to one of a plurality of switch components; a second phone receiving communication origination services from the one switch component and coupled to the one switch component by a path that is independent of the path by which the first phone is coupled to the one switch; a registration server, coupled with the packet network, that stores data permitting a user to select a telephone number supported by an associated switch component via which communication services is enabled for the first phone; a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) gateway coupled to the packet network and the one switch component where the VoIP gateway provides a communication interface to facilitate communications between the packet network and the one switch component; wherein the one switch components serves to provide originating and terminating telecommunication service to the first phone; wherein first and second phones are not connected to each other as extension phones, the one switch components adapted to provide the first phone with a shared call appearance with the second phone through the packet network based on an IP address of the first phone received from the registration server; wherein the shared call appearances of the first and second phones causes the second phone serves as an electronic implementation of an extension of the first phone.