Patent ID: 8149825

Claim:
A portable terminal device supporting voice communication via a wireless packet network, the portable terminal device comprising: a microphone for transducing sound into a first analog voice stream; at least one converter for converting the first analog voice stream to produce digital voice packets; a transmitter for transmitting, via the wireless packet network, the digital voice packets from the at least one converter; a receiver for receiving digital voice packets from a base station serving a plurality of portable terminal devices in the wireless packet network; the at least one converter for converting received digital voice packets to a second analog voice stream; a transducer for transducing the second analog voice stream into sound; wherein the transmitter is arranged to send, to a first remote system, a request for information identifying a second remote system accessible to the portable terminal device via the wireless packet network and operable to, at least, convert between digital voice packets of the portable terminal device and voice signals compatible with a public telephone network; wherein the receiver is arranged to receive the requested information; wherein the transmitter is arranged to send a message identifying a subscriber on the public telephone network, to the second remote system, to initiate a call connection through the second remote system to the subscriber on the public telephone network, using the requested information; wherein the receiver is arranged to receive a message indicating establishment of the call connection with the subscriber; and wherein the transmitter is arranged to communicate digital voice packets to the second remote system upon receipt, by the receiver, of the message indicating establishment of the call connection with the subscriber.