Voice-over-internet-protocol (voip) communications

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed that enable an operator of a packet switched network to provide mobile telephone services in cooperation with an operator of a cellular network.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a request to establish a telephony call with a mobile device;   determining, based on whether a wireless connection to a wireless access point of a packet switched network is available to the mobile device, whether to route the call to the mobile device via the access point and the packet switched network, wherein the packet switched network is operated by a first network operator and is not a cellular network; and   based on determining that the wireless connection to the wireless access point of the packet switched network is not available to the mobile device, routing the call to a cellular network operated by a second network operator for further routing to the mobile device via the packet switched network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is associated with a first telephone number associated with the packet switched network and a second telephone number associated with the cellular network. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the request comprises the first telephone number. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the request comprises the second telephone number, the method further comprising:
 determining, from the second telephone number, the first telephone number;   modifying the request by replacing the second telephone number with the first telephone number; and   forwarding the modified request toward a destination of the telephony request.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 authenticating the mobile device using, at least in part, the second telephone number.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cellular network comprises an evolved packet core (EPC) network that implements the Long-Term Evolution (LTE) radio access technology. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the packet switched network comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia core network subsystem. 
     
     
         8 . The method recited in  claim 1 , wherein the wireless access point of the packet switched network operates in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) radio access technology. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
 receiving a request to establish a telephony call with a mobile device;   determining, based on whether a wireless connection to a wireless access point of a packet switched network is available to the mobile device, whether to route the call to the mobile device via the access point and the packet switched network, wherein the packet switched network is operated by a first network operator and is not a cellular network; and   based on determining that the wireless connection to the wireless access point of the packet switched network is not available to the mobile device, routing the call to a cellular network operated by a second network operator for further routing to the mobile device via the packet switched network.   
     
     
         10 . The computer readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the mobile device is associated with a first telephone number associated with the packet switched network and a second telephone number associated with the cellular network. 
     
     
         11 . The computer readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the request comprises the second telephone number and the instructions, when executed, further cause:
 determining, from the second telephone number, the first telephone number;   modifying the request by replacing the second telephone number with the first telephone number; and   forwarding the modified request toward a destination of the telephony request.   
     
     
         12 . The computer readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:
 authenticating the mobile device using, at least in part, the second telephone number.   
     
     
         13 . The computer readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the cellular network comprises an evolved packet core (EPC) network that implements the Long-Term Evolution (LTE) radio access technology. 
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein the wireless access point of the packet switched network operates in accordance with the IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) radio access technology. 
     
     
         15 . A device comprising:
 one or more processors; and   memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to:
 receive a request to establish a telephony call with a mobile device; 
 determine, based on whether a wireless connection to a wireless access point of a packet switched network is available to the mobile device, whether to route the call to the mobile device via the access point and the packet switched network, wherein the packet switched network is operated by a first network operator and is not a cellular network; and 
 based on determining that the wireless connection to the wireless access point of the packet switched network is not available to the mobile device, route the call to a cellular network operated by a second network operator for further routing to the mobile device via the packet switched network. 
   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the mobile device is associated with a first telephone number associated with the packet switched network and a second telephone number associated with the cellular network. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the request comprises the second telephone number and the instructions, when executed, further cause the device to:
 determine, from the second telephone number, the first telephone number;   modify the request by replacing the second telephone number with the first telephone number; and   forward the modified request toward a destination of the telephony request.   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the device to:
 authenticate the mobile device using, at least in part, the second telephone number.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the cellular network comprises an evolved packet core (EPC) network that implements the Long-Term Evolution (LTE) radio access technology. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the packet switched network comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia core network subsystem.