A communication apparatus connected to a PBX and an ATM network is
provided with a DTMF signal detecting portion for detecting whether or
not a DTMF signal is contained in a voice signal from the PBX, a DTMF
signal monitoring portion, a DTMF cell generating portion for coding and
sending out a DTMF signal, a DTMF cell decomposing portion for decoding a
coded DTMF signal and a DTMF signal generating portion for generating a
DTMF signal on the basis of the information content of a decoded DTMF
signal and sending out this DTMF signal to the PBX, and the transmission
side communication apparatus codes a DTMF signal in a specified form and
transmits the DTMF signal and the reception side communication apparatus
decodes the coded DTMF signal and, on the basis of this content
information, restores the DTMF signal in a DTMF signal generating
portion. By doing so, even in case of transmitting a DTMF signal by way
of a communication apparatus performing a voice code compression, it is
made possible for a reception side communication apparatus (PBX) to
judge/recognize the DTMF signal without error.