Method and system for effective utilizing the switching capacity of local exchanges

A system for supporting a changing volume of a voice-grade traffic in an access network having a local exchange with a limited capacity, wherein said access network forms part of a converged network comprising a PSTN network, a packet network and at least one additional access network, each of the access networks having its subscribers and its associated local exchange with a limited capacity and each being capable of dividing traffic, outgoing from its subscribers, into the voice-grade traffic stream and data traffic stream, and capable of directing the data traffic stream to the packet network while directing the voice-grade traffic stream to the PSTN network via said associated local exchange;

• the system comprising:
• control means capable of distinguishing between an overload condition and a normal condition of the local exchanges, and operative to cause at least partial diversion of the voice-grade traffic, previously intended for handling by the overload local exchange, and passing said diverted traffic via said packet network and a local exchange being in the normal load condition, wherein
• the overload condition of a particular local exchange is a condition when traffic there-through equals to a predetermined threshold forming at least a portion of said local exchange capacity, and the normal load condition of said local exchange is a condition when traffic there-through is below said threshold.

A method for supporting a changing volume of a voice-grade traffic in an access node connected to a local exchange via an interface having a limited capacity, the method comprising steps of:

• providing two or more of said access nodes, each having its subscribers and its associated local exchange;
• each of said access nodes being capable of dividing traffic, outgoing from its subscribers, into the voice-grade traffic portion and data traffic portion, and capable of directing the data traffic portion to a packet network while directing the voice-grade traffic portion to a PSTN network via its associated local exchange;
• wherein the PSTN network and the packet network are respectively common for said two or more access nodes,
• defining an overload condition of a particular access node as a condition when traffic there-through equals to a predetermined threshold forming at least a portion of capacity of the interface between said particular access node and its associated local exchange,
• defining a normal load condition of the particular access node as a condition when traffic there-through is below said predetermined threshold,
• detecting overload condition on one of said access nodes, the overload access node being indicated AN1;
• finding one of the remaining access nodes being in its normal load condition when the AN1 is in its overload condition, the non-overload access node being called AN2;
• partially diverting the voice-grade traffic intended for the AN1 and passing the diverted voice-grade traffic to its destination via said packet network and the access node AN2, thereby reducing volume of the voice-grade traffic via the overload access node AN1.

A system for supporting a changing volume of a voice-grade traffic in an access node communicating with a local exchange via an interface having a limited capacity, wherein said access node forms part of a converged network comprising a PSTN network, a packet network and at least one additional access node;

• each of the access nodes having its subscribers and its associated local exchange communicating with the access node via a limited capacity interface, and each being capable of dividing traffic, outgoing from its subscribers, into the voice-grade traffic stream and data traffic stream, and capable of directing the data traffic stream to the packet network while directing the voice-grade traffic stream to the PSTN network via said associated local exchange;
• the system comprising:
• control means capable of distinguishing between an overload condition and a normal condition of the access nodes, and operative to cause at least partial diversion of the voice-grade traffic, previously intended for handling by an overload access node, and passing said diverted traffic via said packet network and another access node being in the normal load condition, wherein
• the overload condition of an access node is a condition when traffic there-through equals to a predetermined threshold forming at least a portion of said interface capacity, and the normal load condition of the access node is a condition when traffic there-through is below said threshold.