Apparatus and method for determining an address in a telecommunication network

Apparatus for use in acquiring address information at a link in a telecommunication network, the apparatus comprising:

• means for connection for the telecommunication network;
• means for receiving a data stream through the means for connection;
• means for determining the address information contained in the data stream based on the occurrence of a flag in a message signal unit (MSU) contained in the data stream;
• and
• means for displaying the address information, the means for displaying operatively connected to the means for determining.

A method of presenting address information at a link in a telecommunication network, the method comprising:

• receiving a data stream;
• detecting the occurrence of a flag in the data stream, the flag indicating a beginning of a message signal unit (MSU) contained within the data stream;
• collecting address bits based on a positioning of the address bits within the MSU relative to the flag;
• parsing the address bits to determine the address information;
• and
• displaying the address information.

Apparatus for presenting address information at a link in a telecommunication network, the apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a data stream;
• means for detecting the occurrence of a flag in the data stream, the flag indicating a beginning of a message signal unit (MSU) contained within the data stream;
• means for collecting address bits based on a positioning of the address bits within the MSU relative to the flag;
• means for parsing the address bits to determine the address information;
• and
• means for displaying the address information.