Step by step (cut-through) dialing means that when the transition to the next node has been reached, the subscriber hears an announcement, dials more digits, hears another announcement, dials again etc., until the required destination has been reached. The subscriber can only hear the announcement/tones if these have been configured. Dialing must be carried out via dialed digits only and not via touchstone dialing. The dialing procedure described is possible when dialing into a OpenScape 4000 system via an ISDN connection and in the case of transit traffic to a step by step dialing connection. The ISDN B-channel (audio path) is not activated in the current call situation, meaning that the subscriber cannot hear the announcements. With step by step dialing, this B-channel through-connection becomes effective without any change of status.