Video and aural communications system

Claim 1

An aural and visual (video) communications system, including a telecommunications network, a telecommunications switch coupled to the network, a codec subsystem or pool located at and coupled to the switch, and a plurality of user terminals coupled to the switch, each said user terminal having voice and visual communication facilities, wherein said user voice facilities are coupled each directly to the switch such as to provide access to the network via the switch for aural communication between said user terminals, wherein said user visual communication facilities are connected each via a respective land line to the codec subsystem, wherein the codec subsystem comprises a plurality of codecs of different bit rates each having an input coupled to said user visual communication facilities and an output which can be accessed by any of the user terminals so as to provide a corresponding video service for that user terminal, wherein said codec subsystem includes means for the storage of video images, said storage means having an input coupled to the visual communication facilities and an output which can be coupled to the input of said codec, wherein said codec subsystem serves to interface broadband video communication between local lines coupled to the switch, and wherein the codec subsystem includes a local video switch coupled to said switch and accessible from said user terminals for enabling said broadband video communication between said user terminals.