COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

摘要

A distributed Internet Protocol (IP) communications network comprises a central control system comprising control processing means and at least one access point remote from the central control system for providing access to the packet based communications network. Under normal operating conditions the at least one access point is controlled by the control processing means. The network also comprises an emergency processing means distinct from the central control system for contolling the least one access point when there is a failure in the control processing means control of the at least one access point.