Switched multi-megabit data service and early availability via MAN technology

The authors discuss work currently proceeding at Bell Communications Research in the field of novel high-speed data services and supporting network requirements. The service described herein, switched multimegabit data service (SMDS), is one that could be offered by carrier networks to meet emerging customer high-speed data needs. The authors provide an overview of the motivations behind the service development and discuss the importance of the embedded customer base and the factors that significantly influence the nature of the service. They then describe specific SMDS features and characteristics and the use of MAN technology for the support of SMDS.<>