A gateway apparatus having a recognition unit, the gateway apparatus connecting a packet-switched network to a circuit-switched network, the packet-switched network having a plurality of information terminals connected thereto, the recognition unit storing identifiers corresponding to the information terminals and addresses of the information terminals on the packet-switched network, comprising:
- an incoming call notification unit notifying each of the information terminals having the identifiers stored in the recognition unit of an incoming call received from the circuit-switched network;
- a connection unit connecting the circuit-switched network and one information terminal that is first to respond to the incoming call notification such that the incoming call is transmitted between the circuit-switched network and the one information terminal through the gateway apparatus;
- and
- a disconnection sending unit to send a disconnection message to each of the information terminals that have responded to the incoming call notification except for the information terminal that has connected to the circuit-switched network.