An apparatus and method are provided for addressing and broadcasting a
message to recipients having both telephone network-based receiving
devices and data network-based receiving devices. The apparatus includes
a message router that translates the broadcast message into individual
messages that are addressed to each message recipient in a format, e.g.,
voice, text, email, fax, pager, compatible with each message recipient's
receiving device. The individual messages are transmitted by a data
network server over a data network. Individual messages designated for
recipients having receiving devices addressable by the data network are
delivered directly over the data network to the receiving devices.
Individual messages designated for recipients having receiving devices
addressable by the telephone network are delivered over the data network
first to a telephone network server. The telephone network server then
delivers the individual messages to the telephone network-based receiving
devices over the telephone network via a local telephone switch
corresponding to the telephone network server.