Alternate routing of media connections within a single communications system across public or private network facilities

An enterprise network, comprising:

• geographically dislocated first and second network regions of an enterprise network, the first and second network regions being in communication with one another through first and second networks and respectively comprising first and second gateways and first and second groupings of links connected to the second network, wherein a common electronic address is associated with the second grouping of links;
• and
• a first media server operable to receive, from a first subscriber, a request to initiate an at least substantially real-time communication session with a second subscriber and determine that the first network is currently incapable of supporting the bearer channel for the session, wherein, in response to the determination that the first network is currently incapable of supporting the bearer channel, the first gateway is operable to transmit the common electronic address over the second network to the second gateway, wherein, after the common electronic address is received by the second gateway, at least one of the first and second gateway is operable to transmit in band over the second network to the other of the at least one of the first and second gateway a unique identifier, wherein an inter-gateway routing agent is operable to use the identifier to establish a bearer channel over the second network for the communication session, wherein the user identifier transmitted to the second gateway is a first phantom user identifier, wherein a first communication-related data structure is associated with the first telephone number, wherein a second communication-related data structure is associated with an outgoing call from the first gateway and the first phantom user, and wherein a third communication-related data structure is associated with an incoming call from the first gateway to the second gateway and a second phantom user.

An enterprise network, comprising:

• geographically dislocated first and second network regions of an enterprise network, the first and second network regions being in communication with one another through first and second networks and respectively comprising:
• first and second gateways means for repeating electronic signals and converting protocols;
• and
• first and second groupings of trunk means for carrying communication signals and being connected to one of the packet-switched and circuit-switched networks, wherein a common electronic address is associated with the second grouping of trunk means;
• and
• first media server means for receiving, from a first subscriber, a request to initiate an at least substantially real-time communication session with a second subscriber and determining that the first network is currently incapable of supporting the bearer channel for the session, wherein, in response to the determination that the first network is currently incapable of supporting the bearer channel, the first gateway means transmits the common electronic address over the second network to the second gateway means, wherein, after the common electronic address is received by the second gateway means, at least one of the first and second gateway means transmits in band over the second network to the other of the at least one of the first and second gateway means a unique identifier, and wherein the other of the at least one of the first and second media server means comprises inter-gateway routing agent means for using the identifier to establish a bearer channel over the second network for the communication session, wherein the user identifier transmitted to the second network region means is a first phantom user identifier, wherein a first communication-related data structure is associated with the first telephone number, wherein a second communication-related data structure is associated with an outgoing call from the first gateway means and the first phantom user, and wherein a third communication-related data structure is associated with an incoming call to the second gateway means and a second phantom user.