SNID with wireless backup

A system providing primary and back-up communication capabilities to and from a customer premises, comprising:

• a public switched network comprising a switching system and a communication line circuit running from the switching system to a point of demarcation on the customer premises;
• a public wireless communication network comprising a mobile switching office in communication with the switching system and a wireless base station transceiver coupled to the mobile switching office;
• a communication device at the customer premises;
• customer premises wiring connected to the communication device and running to the point of demarcation;
• and
• a smart network interface device at the point of demarcation, wherein the smart network interface device comprises:
• (a) a first coupling connected to the customer premises wiring;
• (b) a second coupling connected to the communication line circuit;
• (c) a wireless-to-landline interface providing a landline appearance port and two-way communication through the port via the public wireless communication network;
• (d) a switch, selectively (1) connecting the first coupling to the second coupling and (2) connecting the first coupling to the port;
• (e) a detector for sensing a fault on the communication line circuit;
• and
• (f) a controller, responsive to the sensing of a line fault, for activating the switch to connect the first coupling to the port and causing the wireless-to-landline interface to register as active with the public wireless communication network;
• wherein call forwarding is activated with respect to the communication line circuit of the public switched network in response to the registration of the wireless-to-landline interface, such that a call intended for the communication line circuit will be forwarded through the public wireless communication network to the wireless-to-landline interface.

A method comprising:

• detecting a fault in a wired line running from a public switched network to a customer premises;
• in response to the fault detection, switching connection of customer premises communication line wiring from a connection to the line to a coupling to a wireless transceiver located at the customer premises;
• registering the wireless transceiver with a public wireless communication network, wherein the registering includes assigning a temporary directory number of the public wireless communication network for use in routing incoming calls to the wireless transceiver;
• in response to the registration with the public wireless telephone network, activating call forwarding in the public switched network and supplying the temporary directory number to the public switched network;
• and
• forwarding a call intended for the line through the public wireless network to the wireless transceiver using the temporary directory number.

A method comprising:

• detecting a fault in a telephone line from a public switched telephone network;
• in response to the fault detection, switching connection of customer premises telephone wiring from a connection to the line to a coupling to a wireless telephone transceiver located at the customer premises;
• registering the wireless telephone transceiver with a public wireless telephone network;
• in response to the registration with the public wireless telephone network, activating call forwarding in the public switched telephone network with regard to the line.