A method for causing Internet Protocol (IP) communications to be intercepted in an IP network system in which IP communications between a subscriber of said system and another party occur through a media relay which relays said IP communications between the subscriber and the another party, the method comprising: in response to a request to establish an IP communications channel between the subscriber and the another party: locating, by a routing controller , a dialing profile associated with the subscriber, said dialing profile comprising intercept determination information and destination information , said intercept determination information indicating whether an IP communication from the subscriber should be monitored and said destination information indicating where to send monitored communications; producing, by the routing controller , a routing message for receipt by a call controller , for routing the IP communications through the media relay and when said determination information meets intercept criteria, causing said routing message to include at least some of said intercept determination information and said destination information, wherein said intercept determination information is determined to meet said intercept criteria prior to the routing controller producing said routing message; and in response to receipt, by the call controller , of said routing message, the call controller communicating with the media relay to cause the IP communications between the subscriber and the another party to be routed through the media relay and to cause the media relay to send a copy of said IP communications to a mediation device specified by said destination information in said routing message and associated with the dialing profile of the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored; wherein the media relay is selected from a pool of media relays, the media relay being located at a geographical location that facilitates communication at a desired quality of service between the media relay, the subscriber and the another party . locating, by a routing controller , a dialing profile associated with the subscriber, said dialing profile comprising intercept determination information and destination information , said intercept determination information indicating whether an IP communication from the subscriber should be monitored and said destination information indicating where to send monitored communications; producing, by the routing controller , a routing message for receipt by a call controller , for routing the IP communications through the media relay and when said determination information meets intercept criteria, causing said routing message to include at least some of said intercept determination information and said destination information, wherein said intercept determination information is determined to meet said intercept criteria prior to the routing controller producing said routing message; and in response to receipt, by the call controller , of said routing message, the call controller communicating with the media relay to cause the IP communications between the subscriber and the another party to be routed through the media relay and to cause the media relay to send a copy of said IP communications to a mediation device specified by said destination information in said routing message and associated with the dialing profile of the subscriber whose communications are to be monitored; wherein the media relay is selected from a pool of media relays, the media relay being located at a geographical location that facilitates communication at a desired quality of service between the media relay, the subscriber and the another party . <EOS>