System and method for interfacing a broadband network and a circuit switched network

摘要

A system and method is provided for interfacing a broadband network and a circuit switched network, such as a PSTN, that is accessed via a switch that resides in the circuit switched network. The system includes a device, such as a gateway, that is located at a point of convergence between the two networks and connects to the circuit switched network through the switch. The gateway incorporates call management capabilities and is able to offload call management functions from the circuit switched network. The method manages call traffic by identifying a final destination for a call and determining a path for the call to the final destination. If the path does not need to use the circuit switched network, the gateway routes the call without accessing the switch.