A transcoder which prevents tandem coding of speech in a mobile-to-mobile call within a mobile communication system uses a speech coding method for reducing transmission rate on the radio path. The transcoder includes a speech coder, which encodes the speech signal into speech parameters for transmission to a mobile station, and decodes the speech parameters received from the mobile station into a speech signal according to the speech coding method, as well as a PCM coder for transmitting an uplink speech signal to and for receiving a downlink speech signal from a PCM interface in the form of PCM speech samples. In addition to the normal operation, the transcoder transmits and receives speech parameters through a PCM interface in a subchannel formed by least significant bits of the PCM speech samples. Thus, it is possible to prevent tandem coding while maintaining the standard PCM interface, and the signaling and services associated thereto.