Private circuit provision in a telecommunications network

A method of setting up and disconnecting a private circuit in a public switched telecommunications network (PSTN) between only first and second local access lines connected to respective local switches of the network, said method comprising:

• providing a private line switching unit connected to the PSTN via multi-channel signal lines;
• in response to a user request received at the switching unit via the PSTN for setting up the private circuit, initiating PSTN calls from the switching unit to each of said first and second local access lines;
• automatically answering incoming calls at said first and second local access lines thus connecting such automatically answered incoming calls to respective customer premises equipment thereat;
• interconnecting the thus called first and second local access lines within said switching unit to establish the private circuit only between said first and second access lines wherein the private circuit remains connected independently of the use thereof;
• and
• in response to a user request received at the switching unit via the PSTN for disconnecting the private circuit, the switching unit disconnecting said first and second access lines.

Apparatus for setting up and disconnecting a private circuit in a public switched telecommunications network (PSTN) between only first and second local access lines connected to respective local switches of the network, said apparatus comprising:

• a private line switching unit connected to the PSTN via multi-channel signal lines for connecting and disconnecting said first and second local access lines;
• means for responding to a user request received at the switching unit via the PSTN to connect said first and second local access lines by initiating PSTN calls from the switching unit to each of said first and second local access lines;
• means for automatically answering incoming calls at said first and second local access lines thus connecting such automatically answered incoming calls to respective customer premises equipment thereat;
• means for interconnecting the thus called first and second local access lines within said switching unit to establish a private circuit only between said first and second local access lines wherein the private circuit remains connected independently of the use thereof;
• and
• means for responding to a user request received at the switching unit via the PSTN to disconnect said first and second local access lines by disconnecting said first and second local access lines.