An Experimental Cross-Connect System for Metropolitan Applications

New approaches to structuring the transport layer of telecommunications networks can lead to significantly enhanced capabilities at the same time as reducing network operating costs. Proposals for a network transport layer based upon a series of narrow-band, wide-band, and broad-band digital cross-connects are presented. Together with a central automated network management facility, these permit the rapid provisioning of facilities and "slowswitched" broad-band and wide-band Services. An experimental system, based on a novel transwitching format and structure, is described.