Method and apparatus for communicating with one of plural devices associated with a single telephone number

A method of providing telecommunications to a user of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

• connecting the communication network to a connect unit;
• providing a first communication device associated with the user at an extension of the communication network;
• providing a second communication device associated with the user;
• receiving a communication made to the extension at the connect unit;
• holding the received communication in the connect unit;
• identifying the extension from the routed communication;
• using the identified extension to retrieve a first communication device number associated with the first communication device, a second communication device number associated with the second communication device, and at least one user preference associated with the user;
• and
• forming a first communication path between the first communication device and the connect unit by placing a first call to the first communication device;
• forming a second communication path between the second communication device and the connect unit by placing a second call to the second communication device, said acts of placing the first and second calls occurring substantially simultaneously;
• determining if the first communication device answered the first call or if the second communication device answered the second call;
• and
• if the first or second call is answered and authenticated, routing the received communication to the authenticated answering device by connecting the communication path between the connect unit and the answered device to the received communication to form a completed physical circuit connection.

A method of providing telecommunications to a user of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a communication at a processor;
• holding the communication at the processor;
• identifying destination information associated with the received communication;
• retrieving, based on the identified destination information communication device number, a first communication device number associated with a first device connected to the communication network, a second communication number associated with a wireless device and at least one user preference, each of which being associated with the user;
• routing, using the retrieved at least one user preference, the communication to at least one of said first device or wireless device two destination communication numbers substantially simultaneously, by:
• forming a first communication path between the processor and said first device and a second communication path between the processor and said wireless device to the second communication device number;
• determining whether the first device or wireless device if one of the destination communication numbers has been answered;
• and
• if it has been determined that one of the first device or wireless device one of the destination communication numbers has been answered, requesting information from the user before routing the held communication to the answered device, and then forming a completed physical circuit connection between the received communication and the path between the processor and the answered device when the requested information authenticate the answer device.