Abstract: An apparatus and a method for providing call continuity to a VoIP terminal user responsive to degrading call quality. The quality of a VoIP call is assesses by monitoring the quality of the corresponding IP packet traffic using conventional IP packet quality measures such as, for example, jitter, packet loss and packet delay. When a quality trend indicator crosses a predetermined threshold, a continuity call is originated to the user from a mechanism connected to the IP network. The continuity call uses a connection infrastructure different from the one used by the VoIP terminal such as, for example, a mobility infrastructure (cellular), a wireline infrastructure, a wireless data protocol infrastructure or other similar infrastructure. The continuity call is connected to the user, the original call is bridged with the continuity call and the leg of the original call to the user is dropped.

Abstract: An industrial PC-compatible computer system for telecommunications applications is described. The computer system includes a plurality of peripheral boards, each of which includes a peripheral processor. A computer telephony bus provides communications among the peripheral boards. The computer system also includes a plurality of system processors. A serial telecommunications bus arrangement provides communications between the plurality of peripheral boards and the plurality of system processors. The computer system arrangement providing for greater reliability in the event of a failure of a peripheral board, a system processor or of the communications therebetween.