Abstract: Each memory individually associated with a respective one of two processors of a centrally controlled switching system incorporates status buffers. Information relating to each call is stored in a pair of status buffers in each memory, the status buffers of each pair being interlinked by linkage information. In case of a partial or a total breakdown of the system without the memory of at least one processor being affected, a special recovery program is executed by the latter processor to clear not only all the calls which are not in conversation, or not in a supervision phase, but also all the calls in a conversation phase for which pairs of associated status buffers contain erroneous linkage information.