System and method for providing line power to a digital telephone

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a digital telephone handset comprising:

a device operable to convert sound into a first analog signal; and

a network interface in communication with the device and operable to convert the first analog signal into digital telephony packets, receive digital telephony packets from a network, convert the digital telephony packets received from the network into a second analog signal, and communicate the second analog signal to the device, the network interface further comprising a signaling control protocol stack that responds to hook switch activity and to user actions on the digital telephone handset;

wherein the device and the network interface are both powered only by a continuous analog voltage provided over a twisted pair connection, and wherein the device is operable to generate a ring in response to changes in the analog voltage provided over the twisted pair connection.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the network interface further includes a canceler, the canceler operable to improve the quality of the second analog signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the network interface is further operable to generate digital packetized call signals from analog signals received in response to user actions on a POTS telephone or an IP telephone.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the device includes a microphone, the microphone operable to receive sound, the microphone powered by the analog voltage provided over the twisted pair connection.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the device includes a speaker, the speaker operable to generate sound in response to an analog signal received from a converter, the speaker and the converter powered by the analog voltage provided over the twisted pair connection.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the network interface includes a fiber interface operable to communicate data over optical fiber.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the network interface includes a fiber interface operable to communicate data over a second twisted copper pair.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the device includes a speaker operable to generate a tone in response to receiving the analog voltage.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the digital telephone handset includes a packet sniffer, the packet sniffer operable to determine if a digital packet includes data indicative of a need to provide an analog voltage signal.

10. A method of receiving a request for a telephone call, the method comprising:

receiving a digital telephony packet at a location external to a customer premises;

determining a ring signal in response to the received digital telephony packet;

generating a voltage signal;

communicating the voltage signal over a twisted pair connection to a digital telephone handset at the customer premises, the communicated voltage signal operable to power the digital telephone handset and generate a ring signal at the digital telephone handset, the digital telephone handset comprising a signaling control protocol stack that responds to hook switch activity and to user actions on the digital telephone handset; and

generating control signals to set up and conduct a telephone call involving the digital telephone handset over a digital network using the signaling control protocol stack.

11. The method of claim 10 , and further comprising communicating voice data to the digital telephone handset.

12. The method of claim 10 , and further comprising communicating voice data to the digital telephone handset over the twisted pair.

13. The method of claim 10 , and further comprising communicating voice data to the digital telephone handset over optical fiber.