Abstract: In a receiving node coupled to a number of transmitting nodes, a method of managing audio data received from the transmitting nodes is provided. In the method, a plurality of transmissions are received by the receiving node, with each transmission representing an utterance of audio information. Each transmission is transmitted from a different one of the transmitting nodes and includes a number of audio data packets. One of the utterances is designated as a ready-to-play utterance based on an order in which the utterances were received. The data packets of any utterance designated as the ready-to-play utterance are provided to a ready-to-play queue in real time. Data packets of the other utterances are held in separate queues and are not provided to the ready-to-play queue until after the packets of the ready-to-play utterance have been provided to the ready-to-play queue.