Design options for ATM networks

In response to the unpredictability of the future telecommunications environment, a common, simplified and possibly versatile transmission principle, ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) has been suggested. The principle has the potential of becoming a unified way to transmit various types of data in a common network. The authors consider the pros and cons of several options regarding the specific design of the basic transport mechanisms and the additional high-layer network functions. They claim that a simple, basic, low-layer transport mechanism, similar to a circuit-switched network but with greater flexibility and additional functions at higher layers, is the best way to design a network capable of handling services with different requirements