The Residential Communications Gateway (RCG) is a broadband communications
device that combines all voice, data and video communications to and from
a typical residence or small business for transmission over a single, or
a plurality of Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) lines separately or in
conjunction with, a wireless broadband backbone. The RCG does this by
employing packetized data with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
technologies combined with RF communications technologies. A key
consideration to the design of the RCG is that no additional or special
transmission equipment must be installed at the Central Office or
anywhere else in the network to enable new calling features provided by
the RCG as is the case with DSL and Cable systems. By eliminating the
requirement for costly infrastructure enhancements, ubiquitous high speed
communications and services can be deployed to every POTS subscriber.