System for delivering unified conferences in light of prohibition of toll bypass

A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program code, the computer program code, when executed, configured to:

• obtain geographic information from a first party when the first party attempts to join a collaborative session;
• identify a first geographic region within which the first party is located, wherein the first geographic region is identified using the geographic information;
• identify a first multipoint control unit (MCU) located within the first geographic region for use in a dial out to establish a first audio connection for use by at least the first party during the collaborative session;
• establish a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) connection, the VoIP connection being configured to shunt video between the first party and a cloud during the collaborative session;
• cause the first MCU to dial out to establish the first audio connection to the cloud, the first audio connection being configured to shunt audio between the first party and the cloud while the VoIP connection shunts the video between the first party and the cloud.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for obtaining geographic information from a first party when the first party attempts to join a collaborative session;
• means for identifying a first geographic region within which the first party is located, wherein the first geographic region is identified using the geographic information;
• means for identifying a first multipoint control unit (MCU) located within the first geographic region for use in a dial out to establish a first audio connection for use by at least the first party during the collaborative session;
• means for establishing a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) connection, the VoIP connection being configured to shunt video between the first party and a cloud during the collaborative session;
• means for causing the first MCU to dial out to establish the first audio connection to the cloud, the first audio connection being configured to shunt audio between the first party and the cloud while the VoIP connection shunts the video between the first party and the cloud.

A method comprising:

• obtaining geographic information from a first party when the first party attempts to join a collaborative session;
• identifying a first geographic region within which the first party is located, wherein the first geographic region is identified using the geographic information;
• identifying a first multipoint control unit (MCU) located within the first geographic region for use in a dial out to establish a first audio connection for use by at least the first party during the collaborative session;
• and
• causing the first MCU to dial out to establish the first audio connection to the cloud, the first audio connection being configured to shunt audio between the first party and a cloud.

A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer program code, the computer program code, when executed, configured to:

• obtain geographic information from a first party when the first party attempts to join a collaborative session;
• identify a first geographic region within which the first party is located, wherein the first geographic region is identified using the geographic information;
• identify a first multipoint control unit (MCU) located within the first geographic region for use in a dial out to establish a first audio connection for use by at least the first party during the collaborative session;
• cause the first MCU to be added to a video cascade;
• and
• cause the first MCU to dial out to establish the first audio connection to the cloud, the first audio connection being configured to shunt audio between the first party and a cloud wherein the first audio connection is arranged to be used by a plurality of parties at the first geographic location, wherein the plurality of parties includes the first party.