Abstract: In telecommunication systems in which tasks are performed collectively and centralized by the processor of the central controller, the problem is encountered that this central control may be overloaded. The method in accordance with the invention has for its object to prevent this by rapidly detecting an imminent overload. The number of tasks (for example calls) being processed and the number of idle jobs which were performed are taken as a measure of the load. On the basis of the continuously actualized value of the maximum number of tasks which can be handled it is determined at each new task (for example a call from a subscriber) whether the maximum calls in the process of being set-up determined for that period is not exceeded.