Abstract: A method of repeating a non-voice signal such as a dual tone, multiple frequency (DTMF) signal, by inserting a delay sequence of data values into an output data sequence of data values, a portion of the output data sequence following the delay sequence being the same as a corresponding portion of an input sequence of decoded data obtained from a low bit-rate speech decoder. The input sequence has at least one distorted non-voice sequence. The method provides for inserting a substantially undistorted non-voice sequence into the output sequence, the undistorted sequence being at least of substantially the same length as the distorted sequence, a portion of the output sequence following the undistorted sequence being the same as a corresponding portion of the input sequence, and the output sequence being substantially free of the distorted non-voice signal.

Abstract: A peripheral controller for a PBX system accepts PCM data from a plurality of channels. The channels may be processed in time and space switches of more than one network loop. A channel-merge device merges the PCM data into a combined PCM data stream for connection to a time switch. The time switch is controlled by a connection memory to direct data on specific channels to specific terminals.