Method and apparatus for communicating with one of plural devices associated with a single telephone number during a disaster and disaster recovery

A method of providing a recovery telecommunication service to an enterprise operating a first telecommunication network, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a wireless connection unit connected to the first telecommunication network to serve as a recovery server;
• maintaining a database of telephone extensions of the first telecommunication network, each extension being associated with a first communication device connected to the first telecommunication network and a second communication device;
• and
• servicing a communication destined for an extension of the first telecommunication network via the wireless connection unit.

A method of performing a roll call function to determine a status of users of an enterprise telecommunication network, said method comprising the steps of:

• simultaneously broadcasting a request for status message to a plurality of different communication devices associated with telephone numbers of each user of the enterprise network;
• inputting responses from at least some of the devices;
• and
• determining the status of the users from the input responses.

A method of preempting a wireless communication on a first device associated with a telephone extension of an enterprise telecommunications network, the communication including a first user associated with the extension, said method comprising the steps of:

• inputting at a wireless connection unit a priority preemption signal from a second device;
• determining at the wireless connection unit a priority of a second user sending the priority preemption signal and a priority of the first user;
• and
• if it is determined that the wireless communications can be preempted, interrupting the wireless communication and creating a wireless communication between the first and second devices.

A method of seamlessly switching a telephone call from a circuit communication network to a data packet communication network, the call being associated with a telephone extension of an enterprise communication network, said method comprising the steps of;

• detecting that a wireless device associated with the extension can handle the call on the packet communication network;
• determining whether the call should be switched to the packet communication network based on user preferences associated with the extension;
• and
• if it is determined that the call should be switched to the packet communication network, bridging the call to the packet communication network.

A method of seamlessly switching a telephone call from a data packet communication network to a circuit communication network, the call being associated with a telephone extension of an enterprise communication network, said method comprising the steps of:

• detecting that a wireless device associated with the extension can handle the call on the circuit communication network;
• determining whether the call should be switched to the circuit communication network based on user preferences associated with the extension;
• and
• if it is determined that the call should be switched to the circuit communication network, bridging the call to the circuit communication network.

A method of masking the identification of a telephone caller, comprising:

• providing a wireless connection unit in connection with a telecommunication network;
• providing a graphical user interface associated with the wireless connection unit;
• inputting into the graphical user interface an alternative caller identification number;
• associating the alternative caller identification number with a first telephone number;
• and
• placing a telephone call from the first telephone number to a second telephone number having a caller identification function.