Routing call processing communications in a telecommunications system

A method of routing call processing communications in a telecommunications system, the method comprising:

• receiving one or more call processing signals from a local exchange carrier (LEC) network, wherein the call processing signals are formatted according to a protocol used by the LEC network;
• converting the received call processing signals to a message-oriented signal whose format is independent of the protocol used by the LEC network;
• and
• routing the message-oriented signal to other components in an access terminal;
• wherein the call processing signals correspond to an activity on an LEC network line;
• and the message-oriented signal has a format comprising an activity field whose contents identify a LEC network line activity.

A method of routing call processing communications in a telecommunications system, the method comprising:

• receiving a message-oriented signal representing a call processing communication associated with a subscriber line, wherein the message-oriented signal has a format independent of a signaling protocol recognized by a local exchange carrier (LEC) network;
• converting the received message-oriented signal to one or more signals formatted according to the protocol recognized by the LEC network;
• and
• routing the converted signals to the LEC network,
• wherein the message-oriented signal has a format comprising an activity field whose contents identify a subscriber line activity.

A telecommunications system comprising:

• a local exchange carrier (LEC) network;
• an access terminal coupled to subscriber lines on the LEC network;
• and
• a processor configured to convert call processing signals received from the LEC network and formatted according to a protocol used by the LEC network to a message-oriented signal whose format is independent of the protocol used by the LEC network and to route the message-oriented signal to components in the access terminal, and
• wherein the processor is configured further to convert message-oriented signals, which represent call processing communications associated with the subscriber lines and which have a format independent of a protocol recognized by the LEC network, to one or more signals formatted according to the protocol recognized by the LEC network and to route, to the LEC network, the signals converted to the format recognized by the LEC network and the message-oriented signals have a format comprising an activity field whose contents identify a subscriber line or LEC network line activity.

A method of routing call processing communications in a telecommunications system, the method comprising:

• receiving one or more call processing signals from a local exchange carrier (LEC) network, wherein the call processing signals are formatted according to a protocol used by the LEC network;
• converting the received call processing signals to a message-oriented signal whose format is independent of the protocol used by the LEC network;
• routing the message-oriented signal to other components in an access terminal;
• and
• delivering LEC network line activity information contained in the message-oriented signal to a far end channel unit card coupled to a subscriber device, wherein the call processing signals correspond to an activity on a LEC network line;
• and the LEC network line activity information is delivered using a message-oriented signal whose format is independent of the protocol used by the LEC network.