Methods and systems for enabling end-user equipment at an end-user premise to effect communications having certain destinations when an ability of the end-user equipment to communicate via a communication link connecting the end-user equipment to a communications network is disrupted

Apparatus for effecting communications over a communications network, said apparatus comprising:

• a processing entity configured to:
• receive a request for a communication originated by first end-user equipment at a first end-user premise when an ability of the first end-user equipment to communicate via a first communication link connecting the first end-user equipment to the communications network is disrupted;
• and
• determine, based on a destination of the communication, that the communication is to be effected over the communications network;
• and
• a routing entity configured to cause information pertaining to the communication to be exchanged between the first end-user equipment and the communications network via a wireless communication link established between the first end-user equipment and second end-user equipment at a second end-user premise and a second communication link connecting the second end-user equipment to the communications network.

Computer-readable media containing a program element executable by a computing system to perform a method for effecting communications over a communications network, said program element comprising:

• program code for causing the computing system to receive a request for a communication originated by first end-user equipment at a first end-user premise when an ability of the first end-user equipment to communicate via a first communication link connecting the first end-user equipment to the communications network is disrupted;
• program code for causing the computing system to determine, based on a destination of the communication, that the communication is to be effected over the communications network;
• and
• program code for causing the computing system to cause information pertaining to the communication to be exchanged between the first end-user equipment and the communications network via a wireless communication link established between the first end-user equipment and second end-user equipment at a second end-user premise and a second communication link connecting the second end-user equipment to the communications network.

A method for effecting an emergency phone call originated by a telephone at a first end-user premise, the first end-user premise including first end-user equipment connected to a communications network via a first communication link, said method comprising:

• determining that an ability of the first end-user equipment to communicate via the first communication link is disrupted;
• determining that the emergency phone call is to be effected over the communications network;
• establishing a wireless communication link between the first end-user equipment and second end-user equipment at a second end-user premise;
• and
• causing information pertaining to the emergency phone call to be transmitted to communication equipment associated with an emergency phone call answering point via the wireless communication link and a second communication link connecting the second end-user equipment to the communications network.

Apparatus for effecting an emergency phone call originated by a telephone at a first end-user premise, the first end-user premise including first end-user equipment connected to a communications network via a first communication link, said apparatus comprising:

• a processing entity configured to:
• determine that an ability of the first end-user equipment to communicate via the first communication link is disrupted;
• and
• determine that the emergency phone call is to be effected over the communications network;
• and
• a routing entity configured to:
• establish a wireless communication link between the first end-user equipment and second end-user equipment at a second end-user premise;
• and
• cause information pertaining to the emergency phone call to be transmitted to communication equipment associated with an emergency phone call answering point via the wireless communication link and a second communication link connecting the second end-user equipment to the communications network.