Method and apparatus for video conferencing

An audio and video communication device, comprising:

• a first interface for transmitting and receiving voice and image data over a network;
• a second interface for compatibly coupling and interoperating with an independently operable voice-only telephone handset, said telephone handset inputting and outputting an audio portion of an audio and video communication session;
• and
• a controller coupled with both said first and second interfaces, said controller configured to establish said audio and video communication session over one of a wide area or local area network in response to said telephone handset going off-hook, said controller further configured to, upon powering up, retrieve an assigned network address and upon receipt of the assigned network address, transmit the assigned network address to a remote database for correlation with an assigned phone number of the audio and video communication device stored in the remote database.