Patent ID: 7596131

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a communications interface; one or more processors coupled to said communications interface; and a memory coupled to said one or more processors and storing instructions which, when executed with said one or more processors, cause said one or more processors to allow an advanced voice communication feature in a virtual private network with program functions that comprise: determining, upon a call connected between a first and a second private network of said virtual private network through a first communication network, that a signaling message from said first private network invokes said advanced voice communication feature; and in response to the determining that a signaling message from said first private network invokes said advanced voice communication feature, establishing an auxiliary connection between said first and said second private networks through a second communication network wherein said auxiliary connection supports said advanced voice communication feature and the first communication network does not; wherein said advanced voice communication feature comprises at least one of a call-waiting function, a call-forwarding function, a three-way-calling function and a function relating to a custom calling feature.