Managing network loading by control of retry processing at proximate switches associated with unresponsive targets

A telecommunications system having a plurality of target nodes addressable through communications paths proceeding through proximate switches wherein at least a subset of the target nodes are operable normally to acknowledge messages to an associated proximate switch after receiving a message from said proximate switch, the system comprising:

• means for assessing an extent to which a target node is unresponsive by determining at least one of a time from sending a message to a current time, and a number of messages awaiting acknowledgement messages;
• wherein the proximate switch is autonomously operable to attempt a further message containing at least one of a retransmission and a status inquiry, to the target node, with respect to at least a subset of the messages awaiting acknowledgement messages;
• and,
• wherein the proximate switch is autonomously operable to automatically reduce at least one of a frequency and a maximum number of attempts to send said further message when the target node is determined to be unresponsive.