User terminal for channel-based Internet network

A user terminal of a channel-based network that is connected to the Internet, the user terminal comprising:

• a non-volatile memory circuit for storing a first channel table, the first channel table including a plurality of channel numbers, each channel number having an associated Internet address and an associated Internet site name;
• a volatile memory circuit;
• an input device;
• a control unit for receiving a selected channel number entered by a user through the input device;
• and
• means for selectively copying the first channel table from the non-volatile memory circuit to the volatile memory circuit, for reading the Internet address associated with the selected channel number from the volatile memory circuit, and for transmitting the associated Internet address via the communication circuitry directly onto the Internet, thereby connecting the user terminal to a selected Internet site that is addressed by the associated Internet address such that communications between the user terminal and the selected Internet site are transmitted directly over the Internet.

A method for operating a user terminal in a channel-based network, the user terminal including a non-volatile memory circuit and a volatile memory circuit, the non-volatile memory circuit being configured to store a user channel table, the user channel table including a plurality of channel numbers, associated Internet addresses and associated Internet site names, wherein the method comprises:

• detecting the presence of a user;
• determining whether the user is a resident user or a guest user;
• downloading the user channel table into the non-volatile memory from a system server via the Internet;
• and
• copying a user channel table from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory only when the user is determined to be a resident user.