Patent ID: 8266299

Claim:
A method for deciding whether a local media connection should be established in an access network of an IP-based communication system between a first terminal and at least a second terminal located within said access network, wherein said access network is connected to a session border controller (SBC) providing access to a multimedia core network, the method comprising the steps of: receiving, in the session border controller, a call invitation from the first terminal to the at least second terminal; sending, from the session border controller to an application server in a multimedia core network, a message requesting a local media status between the first terminal and the second terminal; checking, by the application server, if a local media connection is allowed between the first terminal and the second terminal; receiving, in the session border controller from the application server, a message indicating the local media status between the first terminal and the second terminal, and further indicating whether a local media connection is allowed between said first terminal and the second terminal; if the message indicates that a local media connection is allowed, establishing, by the session border controller, a local media connection between said first terminal and at least the second terminal; and if the message indicates that a local media connection is not allowed, establishing, by the session border controller, a communication channel between said first terminal and at least the second terminal anchored in a media proxy in said session border controller.