One embodiment of the invention is based on a facilitation of the natural dynamics associated with face to face conversation, where the amplitude of a speaker's voice is often used to gain floor control. This capability advantageously allows a user who is intending to speak to interrupt a user who currently has floor control. By basing talker arbitration at least partially on the amplitude of the speaker's voice, the invention removes the need for a user to push a separate button on the handset before the commencement of speech.