Patent ID: 8077731

Claim:
A method for providing packet-based tandem free operation (TFO) in a telecommunications system having at least a first network element, a third network element, and a second network element positioned between the first and third network elements, the method comprising: monitoring packets sent from the first network element to the third network element to identify a TFO request message; monitoring packets sent from the third network element to the first network element to identify a TFO acknowledgement message from the third network element in response to the TFO request message; sending a substitute TFO acknowledgement message from the second network element to the first network element if no TFO acknowledgement message is identified from the third network element; and establishing a TFO call leg between the first and second network elements and establishing a non-TFO call leg between the second and third network elements after sending the substitute TFO acknowledgement message from the second network element.