Patent ID: 7123699

Claim:
In a telecommunications system, a method comprising the steps of: storing a voice mail message in a voice mail box in a voice mail system within a first LAN; coupling a second LAN to the first LAN over a WAN, wherein the first LAN, the second LAN, and the WAN operate under a routable network protocol; providing a sensory indication on a telecommunications device within the second LAN that the voice message is stored in the voice mail box within the first LAN; and the telecommunications device accessing the voice mail system within the first LAN to listen to the voice message stored in the voice mail box, wherein the step of the telecommunications device accessing the voice mail system within the first LAN to listen to the voice message stored in the voice mail box further comprises the steps of: establishing a channel between the first and second LANs over the WAN; coupling an audio path over the channel between the telecommunications device and the voice mail box; and streaming voice data containing the voice message from the voice mail box to the telecommunications device over the audio path, wherein the establishing step further comprises the steps of: in response to an input at the telecommunications device, sending a user mail box connection message from the second LAN to the first LAN requesting a channel, wherein the user mail box connection message includes an extension associated with the telecommunications device and an identification of the voice mail box; assigning the channel by the first LAN; and sending a connection established message from the first LAN to the second LAN.