The invention relates to a method for transcoding audio signals in a communications system. In order to improve the inter-operability between units (2,40) capable of handling wideband audio signals and units (3,46) or network components (50) capable of handling narrowband audio signals, it is proposed that first, an audio signal is received in a network element (42) of a communications network via which said audio signal is transmitted. Next, it is determined in said network element (42) whether a transcoding of the received audio signal is required. In case a narrowband-to-wideband transcoding of the received signal is required, the received narrowband audio signal is transcoded into a wideband audio signal in the network element (1,42). The generated wideband audio signal is then forwarded to the receiving terminal (2,40). The invention equally relates to a corresponding communications system and its components.