Telephone central office-switching system integrated interface devices
such as those for DSL, Voice over IP, cable-TV, fixed wireless, and
Internet capable wireless cellular are further integrated into integrated
interface device systems. Such systems share common facilities including
a router function, messaging function, and a common voice communications
channel. The messaging function is arranged to provide call setup and
associated messages which enable a calling device which calls an
Integrated Device to establish an Internet communication simply by
dialing the telephone number of the Integrated Device. Integrated Devices
have both an Internet connection and a telephone number; the Internet
connection has an associated IP address. Call setup messages include
telephone numbers and IP addresses. The integrated router function is
enabled to edge route Internet data traffic within the system and to and
from other such systems, without the data traversing further into the
Internet. Further integration is achieved by incorporating the associated
central office switch into the integrated assembly, forming an integrated
central office system. Conversion of the switch into a pure packet switch
which packetizes analog voice traffic into IP format enables voice, data,
and inter-system messaging traffic to be edge routed via the integral
routing function, transforming the PSTN to a network based entirely on
Internet protocols.