Patent ID: 7889714

Claim:
For use in a telecommunication network, an apparatus for testing a telecommunication device comprising switching fabric including a plurality of voice paths, said apparatus comprising: a test controller configured to receive a test call initiation message directed to the test controller from an originating terminal, to prompt the telecommunication device to allocate one of the voice paths within the telecommunication device for a test call based on the test call initiation message, and to establish a call connection for the test call between the originating terminal and a destination terminal via the allocated voice path and a packet-switched network to test the allocated voice path; wherein the test controller comprises a simulator configured to verify a connection to the originating terminal through a signaling connection between the test controller and the originating terminal, wherein the connection is verified by simulating a connection to the originating terminal using a test call comprising at least one voice path within the switching fabric, and wherein the originating terminal and the destination terminal are Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phones, and the test call initiation message is an INVITE message addressed to an Internet Protocol (IP) address of said test controller.