A method for managing a media stream from a media source to a media destination, said media stream passing through at least one network, comprising the steps of: providing a media manager for managing said media stream and said at least one network and for performing at least one of a plurality of management functions including bandwidth management, media hairpin detection, media path control, equal access, or preventing media backhauling, wherein the media manager has an interface path to a session initiation protocol, SIP, proxy and an interface path (21, 22) to a media gateway (MG1, MG2); receiving, from the SIP proxy and by said media manager, a media stream update message to establish a plurality of media stream information types for the media stream; storing in said media manager at least one of the plurality of media stream information types, the media stream information types including media routing, receive transport address, routed receive transport address, source network, destination network, media stream identifier, or bandwidth of the media stream for a time period during which said media stream exists in said at least one network; and said media manager configured to use at least one of said stored information types for performing at least one of said management functions, wherein the media manager is configured to perform bandwidth management by calculating an aggregated bandwidth value for said at least one network by totaling values of said bandwidth information types of said media stream and any additional media streams passing through said at least one network and using the aggregated bandwidth value in determining whether to disallow setup of said media stream, wherein in response to determining to allow setup of said at least one media stream, sending a media stream OK message (3, 5) from the media manager to the SIP proxy. providing a media manager for managing said media stream and said at least one network and for performing at least one of a plurality of management functions including bandwidth management, media hairpin detection, media path control, equal access, or preventing media backhauling, wherein the media manager has an interface path to a session initiation protocol, SIP, proxy and an interface path (21, 22) to a media gateway (MG1, MG2); receiving, from the SIP proxy and by said media manager, a media stream update message to establish a plurality of media stream information types for the media stream; storing in said media manager at least one of the plurality of media stream information types, the media stream information types including media routing, receive transport address, routed receive transport address, source network, destination network, media stream identifier, or bandwidth of the media stream for a time period during which said media stream exists in said at least one network; and said media manager configured to use at least one of said stored information types for performing at least one of said management functions, wherein the media manager is configured to perform bandwidth management by calculating an aggregated bandwidth value for said at least one network by totaling values of said bandwidth information types of said media stream and any additional media streams passing through said at least one network and using the aggregated bandwidth value in determining whether to disallow setup of said media stream, wherein in response to determining to allow setup of said at least one media stream, sending a media stream OK message (3, 5) from the media manager to the SIP proxy.