System and method for gradual transition of local phone services from PSTN to next generation network

Abstract

For any telephone service subscriber, local services could be offered based on either the packet switched next generation network (NGN) or the PSTN network. The network can be configured such that for each particular phone line, the line's services are based either on a PSTN's class 5 switch or on a NGN's service manager (SM). The local service provider, through software reconfiguration could quickly and efficiently move service subscribers' phone lines from class 5 switch based local services to SM based services, and vice-versa. If a call origination is attempted from a phone connected to an access gateway, the SM will instruct the network to handle the call differently depending on whether the services should be offered based on the class 5 switch or the SM. If the services ought to be offered through the class 5 switch, then the SM will establish a virtual local loop connection between the phone and the class 5 switch. Subsequently, the class 5 switch will provide the dial tone, collect the dialed digits and proceed with establishing the call. The NGN simulates a traditional local loop. If the local services are offered for the customer through the SM, the SM will fully control the call establishment and route the call bypassing the class 5 switch.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.