An IP bridge phone for operatively coupling one or more analog phones to a
digital communications network to support parallel communications is
disclosed. The IP bridge phone includes a phone handset interface adapted
to connect to a phone handset, an analog phone interface, and a network
interface. A mixing module is adapted to receive a first voice signal
from the handset interface, a second voice signal from the analog phone,
and a third voice signal from the data communications network; generate a
plurality of combined signals from the first voice signal, the second
voice signal, and the third voice signal; and transmit each of the
plurality of combined signals to one of the plurality of interfaces. The
plurality of combined signals provide parallel communications between the
phone handset, the analog phone, and the remote calling party.