A method to use the data packet carrying ability of cable TV networks as described in
DOCSIS to accurately and quickly transmit a voice call from a cable user to another user over a cable TV cable. The cable telephone, or
cable modem, is given the ability to detect when
voice activity from the subscriber is above and below a predetermined value. When the
cable modem has
voice activity, the
cable modem knows that it will have a continuous
stream of
voice data packets which need to be sent very quickly and very accurately to the CMTS. Therefore, the cable modem requests a periodic
stream of time slots from the CMTS. When the cable modem detects no
voice activity or a
silence period from the subscriber, the cable modem indicates that the periodic
stream of time slots is no longer needed and the CMTS stops providing the periodic stream of time slots. When voice activity of the subscriber resumes, the cable modem again request the periodic stream of time slots, and transmits the
voice data packets or cells in these time slots.