Method and apparatus for selecting a communication network

1. A method for selecting a network for communicating, the method comprising:

receiving at a first voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone, an identifier for a second VoIP phone, for establishing a communication session between the first VoIP phone and the second VoIP phone;

identifying, by the first VoIP phone, a plurality of network types associated with the second VoIP phone using the called identifier;

automatically selecting, by the first VoIP phone, a selected network type from the plurality of network types associated with the second VoIP phone, based on a capability of the first VoIP phone to use the selected network type; and

establishing the communication session between the first VoIP phone and the second VoIP phone using the selected network.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying, by the first VoIP phone, the plurality of network types associated with the second VoIP phone comprises:

querying a local database on the first VoIP phone with a query including the called identifier, the local database containing network type information for frequently called identifiers associated with the first VoIP phone; and

receiving a response to the query; and

determining whether the response includes the plurality of network types associated with the called identifier.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the response from the local database does not include the plurality of network types associated with the called identifier, querying a remote database accessible to the first VoIP phone over a data network with a second query that includes the called identifier;

receiving a second response to the second query from the remote database; and

determining whether the second response includes the plurality of network types associated with the called identifier.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the local database includes information about called identifiers that are provided by a user.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the remote database includes information about authenticating information about a plurality of VoIP phones capable of sending the query.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising installing updates.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

presenting a user interface to a user of the first VoIP phone for enabling the user to manually override the selection of the identified network prior to completing the communication session; and

overriding the identified network with a second identified network selected by the user, and wherein completing the communication session uses the second identified network.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the called identifier is a called number.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected network type is a data network.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the data network is an Internet Protocol network.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected network type is a public switched telephone network (PSTN).

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication session comprises a videostream.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the VoIP phones is a softphone application running on a computer.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the VoIP phones is a VoIP adapter connected with a traditional phone.

15. A non-transitory computer usable program product in a computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions for selecting a network for communication that, when executed, cause a first a first voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone to:

receive an identifier for a second VoIP phone, for establishing a communication session between the first VoIP phone and the second VoIP phone;

identify a plurality of network types associated with the second VoIP phone using the called identifier;

automatically select a selected network type from the plurality of network types associated with the second VoIP phone, based on a capability of the first VoIP phone to use the selected network type; and

establish the communication session between the first VoIP phone and the second VoIP phone using the selected network.

16. The program product of claim 15 , wherein the communication session comprises a videostream.

17. The program product of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the VoIP phones is a softphone application running on a computer.

18. A voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone that selects a network for communication, the VoIP phone comprising:

a non-transitory memory storing computer executable instructions and data, wherein the data includes a plurality of network types respectively corresponding to called identifiers;

a processing component for executing the computer executable instructions to:

receive an identifier for a second VoIP phone, for establishing a communication session between the VoIP phone and the second VoIP phone;

identify a plurality of network types associated with the second VoIP phone using the called identifier;

automatically select a selected network type from the plurality of network types associated with the second VoIP phone, based on a capability of the VoIP phone to use the selected network type; and

establish the communication session between the VoIP phone and the second VoIP phone using the selected network.

19. The VoIP phone of claim 18 , wherein the communication session comprises a videostream.

20. The VoIP phone of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the VoIP phones is a softphone application running on a computer.