METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING TELEPHONE SERVICE USING TDM SWITCHES AND DATA TRANSPORT NETWORKS

摘要

A method and apparatus for providing telephone service using a data transport network is described. An inter-media gateway adapted to transfer voice-grade data to and from the data transport network is provided. The inter-media gateway is a trunk side network adaptor for TDM telephone switches adapted to operatively interconnect with a trunk side of the telephone switch to exchange internal call control messages and voice-grade pulse code modulated data. The integrated media gateway is addressable on the data transport network and is operatively interconnected to the data transport network to exchange signaling messages and data. The method comprises sending call setup messages associated with a telephone call between the telephone switches over the common channel signaling network of a switched telephone network and setting up a payload transport path over the data transport network in a backwards direction from a terminating telephone switch to an originating telephone switch. The advantages include network component reduction, simplified call set up, and reduced infrastructure and operating costs.