A telecommunication device includes a first interface coupled to the public switched
telephone network (PSTN) in a first local calling area, a second interface coupled
to a packet network, and a third interface coupled to a first plain old telephone
system (POTS) telephony device. The device also includes a router that directs
telecommunications between the first, second, and third interfaces and a gateway
that enables telecommunications between the first POTS telephony device and the
packet network. Furthermore, the device includes a processor that receives signaling
from the first POTS telephony device indicating a desire to establish telecommunications
with a second POTS telephony device coupled to the PSTN in a second local calling
area. The processor identifies a second telecommunication device coupled to the
packet network and coupled to the PSTN in the second local calling area and determines
whether the first telecommunication device has an appropriate amount of associated
credit to use the second telecommunication device to establish telecommunications
between the first and second POTS telephony devices.
