ATM Transport Still Winning Backbone Network Battle

Washington D.C. According to switching expert, Donald Dittberner, "In the ongoing debate between which transport protocol will dominate the backbone infrastructure of an integrated voice and data network, ATM clearly has won for now. In contrast to IP, ATM networks provide QoS and other performance guarantees for each connection. It further offers special services for a variety of applications and different modes of transport for packetized voice. Carriers are simply more comfortable with ATM in the backbone."

Further aid to ATM in this battle is the support of most major switching equipment vendors. According to the report, "Next Generation Switching Systems for Public Networks", recently published by Dittberner Associates, Inc., "Most of the world's leading equipment vendors have either introduced or announced network elements that support inter working between the traditional narrow band local telephone exchange and IP data traffic on the one side and a universal ATM backbone network on the other side. This internetworking is possible between the TDM and the ATM networks through call servers gatekeepers that provide the connection control. Gateways designed to support TDM as well as IP interfaces can accept Internet access traffic in addition to voice traffic. These are evolving from current digital switching platforms".

In the coming months, MPLS (Multi Protocol Label Switching) may well prove an easy replacement for ATM in the backbone for those telecom service providers who have been wise choosing ATM equipment employing programmable network processors.

For additional information,
Dittberner Associates, Inc.
e-mail: sales@dittberner.com
www.dittberner.com
Tel 1 301 652 8350

Dittberner Associates, Inc. is an international market research and consulting firm specializing in the analysis of advanced technologies for the global public telecommunications network. Through its multi-client study series, THE Dittberner PERSPECTIVE, and custom studies, the company provides guidance in many areas of the telecommunications industry including: technology assessment and forecasting, market requirements analysis and market forecasts for telecom equipment and services, public and private network planning, corporate and business planning, new venture / new business development, and tariff and regulatory policy formulation assistance. Fore more information, visit the company's website at www.dittberner.com

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