A multi-user telephone system composed of a plurality of user networks
installed at the same general location. Each user network has a different
telephone number and a plurality of VOIP extensions each having a
different extension number. A server, upon confirming the address of an
outgoing VOIP signal as an address of an intended recipient of the
outgoing VOIP signal, permits the outgoing VOIP to be conducted to the
internet. The VOIP extensions also can develop outgoing PSTN signals for
transmission via a public switched telephone network. The server, upon
detecting a PSTN outgoing signal, permits the outgoing PSTN signal to be
conducted to a public switched telephone network. The server also
confirms that the address of an incoming signal, from the internet or
from a public switched telephone network, is an address of an extension
in one of the user networks.