System and methods to route calls over a voice and data network

1. A method of routing a call over a voice and data network (VDN) to a destination device, the method comprising:

receiving a call from a calling device at a telecommunications gateway (TCG);

receiving authentication data via the call;

determining whether a user account associated with the authentication data is authorized to route calls via the TCG to a VDN;

when the user account is authorized to route calls via the TCG to the VDN, converting call data received at the TCG via the call into a format compatible with the VDN;

sending a dialing signal to the calling device after determining that the user account is authorized to route calls via the TCG to the VDN;

receiving a destination address associated with the destination device in response to the dialing signal, wherein the destination address is used to send the converted call data via the VDN to the destination device: and

sending the converted call data via the VDN to a destination device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein converting the call data into a format compatible with the VDN includes generating a bit stream including a plurality of data packets and adding an identifier and a routing indication to each data packet of the plurality of data packets.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the identifier includes an address associated with the destination device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the converted call data is sent to the destination device via the VDN and via a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the VDN is the Internet.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authentication data comprises caller ID data associated with the calling device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the call is received at the TCG in response to a user entering a calling code associated with the destination device.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to receiving the call, prompting the calling device for a VDN designator, wherein determining whether the user account is authorized to route calls via the TCG to the VDN is performed when the VDN designator is received; and wherein the call is routed via a switch to a second destination device when the VDN designator is not received.

9. A method of routing a call over a voice and data network (VDN) to a destination device, the method comprising:

receiving a call from a calling device at a telecommunications gateway (TCG);

determining whether a VDN designator is present in input provided at the calling device;

when the VDN designator is present, converting call data received via the call into a format compatible with a VDN;

sending the converted call data to a destination device via the VDN;

sending a dialing signal to the calling device in response to determining that the VDN designator is received; and

receiving a calling code from the calling device in response to the dialing signal, wherein the calling code identifies the destination device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the input provided at the calling device includes a calling code associated with the TCG, and wherein the VDN designator is part of the calling code.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the input provided at the calling device includes a calling code provided in response to a prompt, wherein the method further comprises sending the prompt to the calling device after receiving the call.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the VDN designator is a tone produced by pressing a “#” key on a telephone keypad.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising, before sending the converted call data to the destination device via the VDN, determining whether a user account associated with authentication data received via the call is authorized to route calls via the TCG to the VDN.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the authentication data includes an electronic serial number of the calling device.

15. A telecommunications gateway (TCG), comprising:

a first communication connection to receive a call from a communications network;

a second communication connection to send the call to a second communications network; and

a processor, wherein the processor:

evaluates data received via the call to select the second communications network from between a voice and data network (VDN) and a public switched telephone network (PSTN);

when the VDN is selected, evaluates authentication data associated with the call to determine whether the call is authorized to be sent via the VDN;

when the call is authorized to be sent via the VDN, executes a telephony protocol engine (TPE) to convert the call to a protocol compatible with the VDN;

sends a dialing signal to the second communications network after determining that a user account is authorized to route calls via the TCG to the VDN;

receives a destination address associated with the destination device in response to the dialing signal, wherein the destination address is used to send the converted call data via the VDN to the destination device; and

sends the call to the destination device via the VDN.

16. The TCG of claim 15 , wherein the first communications network comprises a mobile communications network.

17. The TCG of claim 15 , wherein the first communications network comprises a PSTN.

18. The TCG of claim 15 , wherein, when the call is not authorized to be sent via the VDN, the processor sends the call to the destination device via the PSTN.

19. The TCG of claim 15 , wherein the VDN is the internet.