Method and apparatus for handing off control of service access over a cable IP network

In communication network that provides a path between a sending terminal an a receiving terminal, comprising:

• a first network manager operated by a first service provider that manages network access of the sending terminal;
• a configuration module the sending terminal for receiving information that controls access of said sending terminal to a sending network;
• a second network manager operated by a second service provider that manages network access of the receiving terminal;
• a configuration module of the receiving terminal for receiving information a that controls access of said receiving terminal to a receiving network;
• and
• a call control agent in communication with the first and second network managers to effect a transfer of access control of the sending terminal from the first network manager to the send network manager in response to a call control parameter.

A system for linking a sending terminal of a sending network with a receiving terminal of a receiving network, comprising:

• a first configuration module co-located with at least one of the sending terminal or the sending network;
• a first network manager operated by a first service provider to bridge the sending network and an Internet Protocol (IP) network;
• a second configuration module co-located with at least one of the receiving terminal or the receiving network;
• a second network manager operated by a second service provider independent of the first service provider that is operative to bridge the receiving network and the IP network;
• and
• a controller in communication with the first and second network managers to effect a transfer of call control from the first network manager to the second network manager in response to a call control parameter.

A system for linking a sending network and a receiving network that respectively support a sending terminal and at least one broadband receiving terminal, comprising:

• a first configuration module of the sending terminal that defines a service access procedure according to control information supplied by a subscriber on a per call basis;
• a first network manager operated by a first service provider to bridge the sending network and an Internet Protocol (IP) network;
• a second configuration module of the receiving terminal for defining a service access protocol that controls a conveyance of information between the sending terminal and the receiving terminal;
• a second network manager operated by a second service provider to bridge the receiving network a d the IP network;
• and
• a controller in communication with the first network manager and the second network manager to effect a transfer of call control from the first network manager to the second network manager by enabling provisioning of the first and second configuration modules to implement at least one service access procedure required by a hand-off.

An Internet Protocol (IP) network for linking a sending customer premise equipment (CPE) of a sending network and a receiving CPE of a receiving network, comprising:

• a first configuration module of the sending CPE;
• a cable modem termination system (CMTS) of an hybrid fiber coax (HFC) network operated by a first service provider for authorizing and bridging a call between the sending CPE and he receiving CPE according to a service access protocol;
• a second configuration module of the receiving CPE;
• a network manager operated by a second service provider for effecting a link between the sending and receiving CPEs through the receiving network and the IP network by configuring a least one of the first and second configuration modules;
• and
• a controller that effects a hand-off of call control from the CMTS to the network manager by effecting provisioning of the first and second configuration modules to implement a given service access procedure according to a call control parameter.