Abstract: An access gateway coupled to a Softswitch in a telephone communication system for establishing a Push-to-Talk channel between an originator and at least one destinator. The access gateway identifies an address of each destinator, and conveys respective DNRs of the originator and each destinator to the Softswitch for allowing the Softswitch to verify that the DNRs correspond to Push-to-Talk enabled telephones and that the originator is registered to establish a Push-to-Talk channel with each of the destinators. If so, the access gateway invokes an instruction received from the Softswitch to activate a speaker coupled to each of the destinators and establish a uni-directional voice channel from the originator to each of the destinators upon the destinators going off-hook. Destinators may complete the call for establishing a two-way voice channel to the originator. Enhanced telephones include Push-to-Talk facility, while existing telephones may be upgraded using an adapter.