Portable phone bank

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Systems and methods consistent with the present invention address this need by providing a portable bank of cordless, wireless, or disposable telephones that provide public telephone service at any location.
In accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a system consistent with the present invention includes a group of public telephones connected to a central communication unit.
The public telephones permit callers to place telephone calls over a public telephone network.
Each of the telephones includes a portable handset that permits a caller to roam outside an immediate area of the system.
The central communication unit transmits communication signals from the telephones to the public telephone network via wireless communication channels.
In another implementation consistent with the present invention, a system includes at least one satellite, a gateway connected to the at least one satellite by a wireless communication channel and to the public telephone network by a wireline communication channel, and a portable public telephone bank.
The portable telephone bank includes a plurality of public telephones and a central communication unit.
The public telephones permit callers to place telephone calls.
Each of the public telephones includes a portable handset that permits a caller to roam within a predetermined range of the portable telephone bank.
The central communication unit connects to the public telephones and the at least one satellite to transmit communication signals between the public telephones and the public telephone network via the at least one satellite and the gateway.
In a different implementation consistent with the present invention, the central communication unit transmits communication signals from the public telephones to a public telephone network via a high-speed data link.
In other implementations consistent with the present invention, the public telephones include cordless, wireless, or disposable handsets