Method and apparatus for allocating bandwidth resources

A telecommunications device for use in communications over a network, said device comprising a plurality of signal processors each for encoding signals using a different codec, and a processor selection mechanism for selecting a processor for use in a call, said processor selection mechanism being responsive to a suspend signal received over the network to select a processor employing a less compressive codec when a call is in progress.

A network management device for assigning bandwidth to a plurality of devices on a communications network, the network management device comprising a signalling unit for signalling to said devices the bandwidth available for use by said devices, a processor for determining bandwidth allocations based on the resources available to the network at a given time, and a signal recognition unit in communication with said processor for receiving and recognising a suspend signal received from a device on the network indicating that the device has suspended outgoing traffic while remaining engaged in a call, said processor being responsive to said signal to allocate increased bandwidth to one or more other of said devices.

A computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed in a network device connected to a network to which a plurality of telecommunications devices are connected, are effective to cause said network device to:

• a) monitor a communications channel for a suspend signal from one of the telecommunications devices which is engaged in a call, this suspend signal indicating that outgoing traffic from that device has been temporarily suspended, even though the device remains engaged in the call;
• and
• b) on receiving this suspend signal, to allocate additional bandwidth to one or more other of the devices on the network.

A telecommunications network for enabling communication between a plurality of devices, said network comprising a device having a plurality of signal processors each for encoding signals using a different codec, and a processor selection mechanism for selecting a processor for use in a call, the processor selection mechanism being responsive to a suspend signal received over the network to select a processor employing a less compressive codec when a call is in progress.

An electrical signal in the form of a data packet, said data packet including an indication that the device from which it was emitted has suspended outgoing traffic while remaining engaged in a call.