Suppressed ringing connectivity

Apparatus for establishing a suppressed ringing connection between a server and customer premises equipment (CPE), comprising:

• a first switch connectable to a server by a server trunk;
• a second switch, different from said first switch, connectable by a line to said CPE;
• said first switch connectable by a Public Switched Telephone Network, (PSTN) to said second switch serving said CPE;
• said PSTN comprising a Common Channel Signaling Network, for transmitting messages between said first and second switches, to request a suppressed ringing connection and to provide information about the character of said suppressed ringing connection in a separate field of a common channel signaling message, for establishing a connection between said first switch and said CPE via said second switch, and for transmitting signaling messages to control establishment and disconnection of a suppressed ringing connection between said server and said CPE.

A method of establishing a suppressed ringing connection between a server and customer premises equipment (CPE), comprising the steps of:

• connecting said server to a first switch of a Public Switched Telephone Network, (PSTN) by a server line;
• initializing said first switch with class information for identifying a class of service of said server line;
• connecting said CPE over a line to a second switch of said PSTN;
• responsive to receipt of a suppressed ringing set-up request to said CPE from said server, received in said first switch over said server line, establishing a connection over said PSTN between said first switch and said second switch;
• signaling information about said call over a common channel signaling network from said first switch to said second switch;
• and
• responsive to receipt of said information in said second switch from said signaling network, establishing a suppressed ringing connection over said connection from said first switch and said CPE;
• wherein the step of signaling information about said call over said common channel signaling network comprises the step of providing information in a separate field of a common channel signaling message, to request a suppressed ringing connection and to provide information about the character of said suppressed ringing connection.

Apparatus for establishing a suppressed ringing connection between a server and customer premises equipment (CPE), comprising:

• a first switch connectable to a server by a server line;
• a second switch, different from said first switch, connectable by a line to said CPE;
• said first switch connectable by a Public Switched Telephone Network, (PSTN) to said second switch serving said CPE;
• said PSTN comprising a Common Channel Signaling Network, for transmitting messages between said first and second switches, to request a suppressed ringing connection and to provide information about the character of said suppressed ringing connection in a separate field of a common channel signaling message, for establishing a connection between said first switch and said CPE via said second switch, and for transmitting signaling messages to control establishment and disconnection of a suppressed ringing connection between said server and said CPE.