An automated telecommunications backup system includes a first system operable to monitor a primary time division multiplexing (TDM) link on a TDM network for a failure condition and a second system operable to back up at least a portion of the telecommunications traffic of the TDM link over a backup network. The backup network may be a packet based network, an Internet protocol (IP) based network, a satellite based network, or an IP based system over a satellite network. The first system may continuously monitor the primary TDM link and switch the functionality thereof into circuit with the TDM link upon the detection of the failure condition. The second system may compress the telecommunications traffic of the TDM link to transmit a pre-designated number of time slots thereof.