Abstract: The invention relates to a method for transcoding audio signals in a communications system. In order to improve the inter-operability between units (2,40) capable of handling wideband audio signals and units (3,46) or network components (50) capable of handling narrowband audio signals, it is proposed that first, an audio signal is received in a network element (42) of a communications network via which said audio signal is transmitted. Next, it is determined in said network element (42) whether a transcoding of the received audio signal is required. In case a narrowband-to-wideband transcoding of the received signal is required, the received narrowband audio signal is transcoded into a wideband audio signal in the network element (1,42). The generated wideband audio signal is then forwarded to the receiving terminal (2,40). The invention equally relates to a corresponding communications system and its components.

Abstract: A method of balancing the load of resources in a packet switched connection within a communication system, said system comprising processing units (11; 21) for performing communication, at least one load balancing unit (12; 22) for distributing the load to said processing units (11; 21), and a data storage (14; 24), said method comprising the steps of: obtaining a current connection state as well as a current load state of said processing units from said data storage (14; 24); selecting by said load balancing unit (12; 22) a processing unit on a per-packet basis; and maintaining information about the load state of each processing unit (11; 21) so that said selecting step is performed by selecting a processing unit to serve and process a respective packet based on the load state.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for transcoding audio signals in a communications system. In order to improve the inter-operability between units (2,40) capable of handling wideband audio signals and units (3,46) or network components (50) capable of handling narrowband audio signals, it is proposed that first, an audio signal is received in a network element (42) of a communications network via which said audio signal is transmitted. Next, it is determined in said network element (42) whether a transcoding of the received audio signal is required. In case a narrowband-to-wideband transcoding of the received signal is required, the received narrowband audio signal is transcoded into a wideband audio signal in the network element (1,42). The generated wideband audio signal is then forwarded to the receiving terminal (2,40). The invention equally relates to a corresponding communications system and its components.