Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for securely providing and retaining phone numbers. A party name is provided and an associated phone number, which is encrypted employing an encryption algorithm. The party name is added to an electronic phone list, while the associated telephone number is retained in an encrypted state. A user can select the caller name from the electronic phone list for placing a call. The associated phone number is then decrypted, and the call made employing the decrypted phone number. The decrypted version of the phone number can then be removed or erased from memory. Therefore, the decrypted version of the telephone number is not available for viewing by the user or accessible to an undesirable party that may acquire access to the electronic phone list.

Abstract: A telecommunications gateway allows packets to be sent over a TDM system and allows TDM traffic to be sent over a packet switched network. The gateway is a universal port that includes a plurality of Digital Signal Processors (DSPs) that are controlled by software. The controlling software determines what single function the DSP will perform over multiple channels. Each DSP handles multiple channels, however, each DSP is restricted such that all of its multiple channels are permitted to handle the telecommunications traffic according to one signaling protocol.