Method and system for employing underutilized communication channels as outbound gateways

A system for routing a telephone call from a calling terminal to a called terminal comprising:

• a first residential gateway located at a first customer premises comprising:
• a first broadband data network interface;
• a first local area network interface;
• means for routing a call received from a broadband data network via said first broadband data network interface to a local area network via said first local are network interface;
• a second residential gateway located at a second customer premises comprising:
• a second broadband data network interface;
• a second local area network interface;
• means for routing a call received from a broadband data network via said second broadband data network interface to a local area network via said second local are network interface;
• a call controller in said broadband data network comprising:
• means for routing a call for said called terminal to said first residential gateway;
• and
• means for re-routing said call for said called terminal to said second residential gateway in response to a determination that a device at said first customer premises requires a resource of said first residential gateway that is being used by said telephone call.

A method for operation of a customer premises gateway device comprising the step of:

• receiving a request to act as a gateway for a telephone call between a calling terminal and a called terminal;
• initiating a telephone connection from said gateway device to said called terminal via a PSTN;
• receiving IP data packets containing voice data for said telephone call from a broadband data network;
• converting said IP data packets to analog voice signals;
• transmitting said analog voice signals to said called terminal via said telephone connection;
• upon a determination that said gateway device has insufficient resources to continue handling said telephone call between said calling terminal and said called terminal, sending a message to a call controller in said broadband data network.