The SpeechWorks Speechify or RealSpeak proxy software on the Avaya IR system does not detect when the LAN connection to the speech server is inactive and leaves the TTS port state as INSERV. As a result, callers hear silence, since the port on the IR system is still in service. The caller must hang up to terminate the call, even if the LAN connection comes back up. When the LAN connection is active again, the proxy software resets the port state so that new calls can be handled properly.