Data communications

A method of establishing a connection between a WebRTC-capable software application and a server in a communications network;

• in which the connection is associated with a CLI or a URI;
• in which the method is performed by a WebRTC gateway and comprises:
• associating credentials with the WebRTC-capable software application;
• receiving from the server over a non-WebRTC communications channel, a connection request comprising the CLI or a URI;
• identifying from the CLI or the URI comprised in the connection request, a signalling channel for WebRTC for signalling to the WebRTC-capable software application;
• using the signalling channel, setting up a WebRTC media channel extending to the WebRTC-capable software application as part of the connection between the server and the WebRTC-capable software application;
• in which the connection comprises the WebRTC media channel extending to the WebRTC-capable software application and a non-WebRTC channel extending to the server;
• in which the WebRTC media channel and the non-WebRTC channel are interconnected for communication at an intermediate point of the connection;
• and
• disassociating the credentials from the WebRTC-capable software application at a time at which it is determined that the credentials are no longer required;
• in which the credentials are disassociated from the WebRTC-capable software application in response to the user navigating away from a web page.

A WebRTC gateway comprising at least one processor configured in use to establish a connection between a WebRTC-capable software application and a second server in a communications network;

• in which the connection is associated with a CLI or a URI;
• in which the at least one processor is configured in use to:
• associate credentials with the WebRTC-capable software application;
• receive from the second server over a non-WebRTC communications channel, a connection request comprising the CLI or the URI;
• identify from the CLI or the URI comprised in the connection request, a signalling channel for WebRTC for signalling to the WebRTC-capable software application;
• use the signalling channel for WebRTC, to set up a WebRTC media channel extending to the WebRTC-capable software application as part of the connection between the second server and the WebRTC-capable software application;
• in which the connection comprises the WebRTC media channel extending to the WebRTC-capable software application and a non-WebRTC channel extending to the second server;
• in which the WebRTC media channel and the non-WebRTC channel are interconnected for communication at an intermediate point of the connection;
• and
• disassociate the credentials from the WebRTC-capable software application at a time at which it is determined that the credentials are no longer required in which the credentials are disassociated from the WebRTC-capable software application in response to the user navigating away from the web page.