System and method for interrupting communications within a communication system

A method for establishing a new repeater mode call by interrupting active communications within a communication network, the method comprising:

• determining, by an interrupting device, if the active communications being interrupted correspond to a repeater mode or a direct mode;
• responsive to determining that the active communications being interrupted correspond to a direct mode:
• operating the interrupting device to transmit an interrupt request over a repeater transmit frequency, the interrupt request for interrupting the active communications to a communication device that will cause the communication device to terminate the active communications in response to receiving the interrupt request;
• responsive to the communication device terminating the active communications, transmitting an instruction, by the interrupting device, over a repeater receive frequency, to a repeater that will cause the repeater to wake up and initiate message communication activity in response to receiving the instruction;
• and
• transmitting, by the interrupting device, one or more messages on the receive frequency of the repeater.