Method of completing long distance POTS calls with IP telephony endpoints

When a calling party calls a called party on the public-switched telephone network (PSTN), a database common to both the PSTN and an Internet Protocol (IP) network, is accessed to determine whether the called telephone line is currently active on the IP network. That database maintains a record for each user who is currently active on the IP network through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). In addition, each record contains information identifying the particular user logged into the network on that line, an indication whether the telephone line is IP telephony capable, an indication whether that line is currently active on an IP telephony call on an Internet Telephony network (ITN), and the IP telephony feature set subscribed to by the called party on that line. If the telephone line is active, IP telephony capable, currently active on an IP telephony call on the ITN, and the called party subscribes to a call waiting-on-IP feature, then the incoming call can be forwarded as an IP telephony call to the called telephone line over the ITN. Alternatively, the incoming call can be directed to an alternate destination on either the ITN network or the PSTN, such as a voice mail or message service. If the called party is engaged in a browsing activity and has an IP telephony capability, then the called party is alerted to the incoming telephone call via a message on his terminal. The incoming call is then completed through the ITN to the called party as an Internet telephony call. If the called party is currently active on the IP network through an ISP, but does not have an IP telephony capability, then the PSTN forwards a message to the ISP, which pushes a message to the called party to inform him or her of the incoming call. The incoming call is then be directed onto the IP network to a messaging service, or on the PSTN to a voicemail service, or to an alternate telephone number, such as a cellular phone, for pickup by the called party.