Patent ID: 7054326

Claim:
A method of transmitting signalling information in a telecommunications network between peer user/application parts, the method comprising: transferring signalling information from a first user/application part to a Message Transfer Part (MTP) level 3, the information including a destination signalling point identifier identifying the signalling point at which a peer user/application part is located; determining at the MTP level 3, from said destination signalling point identifier, a destination address suitable for conveying the signalling information to the destination signalling point or to an intermediate signalling point en route to the destination signalling point; providing an adaptation layer between the MTP level 3 and the IP part at the originating signalling point, as well as at intermediate and destination signalling points, the adaptation layer providing an interface between the MTP level 3 and TCP/UDP levels and listening to a predetermined port number to receive and process incoming TCP connections or UDP packets; and in the event that said destination address is an Internet Protocol (IP) address and port number transferring, via the adaptation layer, the signalling information and the determined IP address and port number to an IP part for transmission over an IP network to the destination or intermediate signalling point.