A new multiple access protocol for two classes of population

A new contention-based multi-access protocol is introduced for a broadcast-type channel. This protocol is synchronous time-division multiple-access (TDMA) in its framing but it possesses many features of random access. The channel consists of slotted time-division frames. Each frame is divided into slots or packets. Each packet consists of a preamble, an address/control field, and an information field. Two classes of customers, voice and data are considered. Unlike many reservation type protocols, here, as long as there is demand from either a voice or a data class, no slot remains unattempted. As a result, the throughput efficiency is very high. The authors outline the underlying assumptions and present the analysis for throughput and blocking probability of voice customers. The authors present the delay and throughput analysis for data customers