Interworking between frame relay and broadband ISDN

The author discusses the interworking between frame relay and broadband integrated services digital networks (B-ISDNs), including switched multi-megabit data service (SMDS) networks. Frame relay and B-ISDN are being aggressively defined in ANSI and CCITT. Frame relay has emerged as one of the packet technologies in the US for fractional T1 and T1 rates. SMDS has also been defined by BellCore as a connectionless service based on broadband transport. Because of evolutionary considerations, differences in performance characteristics, similarity in technology, and potentially common markets served, these technologies will have to coexist for some time. There will be a need for interworking between these kinds of networks, so smooth evolution can occur