Integrated networks: the case for packets

The paper reviews the demands which a variety of services make on a single integrated service network. It shows why packet networks offer a suitable solution and gives examples. Packet networks offer a flexible alternative to circuit switching. In order to consider their suitability for integrated service networks it is necessary to consider the service requirements. A comparison of the transmission rate, nature, toleration of errors and toleration of delay for a number of services is given in a table, indicating some of the typically orthogonal requirements of information which has conventionally used circuit switched techniques and of data