Abstract: A method is disclosed for providing a signaling channel for performing one or more signaling functions at the Ethernet level. The telecommunication of interest is organized by information packets forming an information flow, and the method comprises utilizing a combined flow composed of the information flow and one or more service flows formed from service packets being multiplexable with the information packets at the Ethernet level. The service packets belonging to a particular service flow carry an indication of a signaling function to be performed, while the one or more service flows form the signaling channel at the Ethernet level.

Abstract: There is proposed a method of providing a signaling channel for performing one or more signaling functions at the level of Ethernet. The telecommunication of interest is organized by information packets forming an information flow, and the method comprises utilizing a combined flow composed from the information flow and one or more service flows formed from service packets being compatible with the information packets. The service packets belonging to a particular service flow carry indication of a corresponding one of the signaling functions to be performed, while the one or more service flows form the signaling channel at the level of Ethernet.