Signalling and the broadband Internet

This paper is written from the perspective of an applications developer rather than a network operator or switch manufacturer. The main focus is on the needs of domestic users, and the companies that want to provide broadband services to them. It looks at the development of broadband applications in the real world. Then the application of those lessons to the signalling architectures needed for the new domestic services is examined. The broadband Internet will be what makes the ATM network profitable. However, we need to rethink our whole approach to the development of signalling protocols, and concentrate on simplicity, flexibility, and performance.