In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, a communication apparatus includes a communication unit configured to send and receive messages on a network. Each message has a message header configured to include a plurality of header fields, where the message header includes a suppression header field that indicates a request to suppress at least one header field in at least one subsequently sent or received message. The communication apparatus is configured to establish a suppressed header field message exchange session with a peer on the network so that at least one subsequent message exchanged between the communication apparatus and the peer is free of at least one suppressible header field.