Controlling communications

A method for use in a first network comprising one or more first end-user computer terminals, a gateway to a second packet-based network comprising one or more second end-user computer terminals installed with a communication client of the second network, and one or more telephone units for performing calls with one of the second end-user computer terminals over the second network;

• the method comprising:
• detecting at the gateway a signal that indicates whether a user operates one of said first end-user computer terminals or uses one of said telephone units for a call, the signal employed by the gateway to make a selection between a first state in which one of said calls is to be performed using one of said first end-user computer terminals and a second state in which the call is to be performed using one of said telephone units;
• and
• on condition of detecting the first state, routing by the gateway both call set-up signalling and call media to the first end-user computer terminal;
• and
• on condition of detecting the second state, routing by the gateway call set-up signalling to the first end-user terminal and routing the call media to the one of said telephone unit.

A computer program product for a gateway connected to one or more first end-user computer terminals, in a first network to enable communication with a second packet-based network comprising one or more second end-user computer terminals installed with a communication client of the second network, and one or more telephone units for performing calls with one of the second end-user computer terminals over the second network, wherein each of the one or more first end-user terminals is installed with a communication client for performing calls with the second end-user computer terminals over the second network;

• the program product comprising code embodied on a computer readable storage device connected to the gateway and configured so as when executed on the gateway to:
• select a first state in which one of said calls is to be performed using one of said first end-user computer terminals or a second state in which the call is to be performed using one of said telephone units based upon automatic determination of whether or not a telephone unit is used for the call;
• and
• apply pairing to pair the telephone unit with the gateway dependent upon the determination including:
• on condition of selecting the first state, foregoing the pairing and routing both call set-up signalling and call media to the first end-user computer terminal;
• and
• on condition of selecting the second state, applying the pairing, routing call set-up signalling to the first end-user terminal and routing the call media to the one of said telephone units.