From HomoExcelsior

(aka. ATM) Asynchronous Transfer Mode refers to a networking technology standard for high-speed, packet switched, data networks. It employs a protocol of small packets of a fixed 53 bytes know as "cells". The protocol is connection-oriented, using virtual circuits within the ATM network for packet delivery. In contrast to Ethernet it is designed to deliver high-speed service, real-time delivery, end-to-end bandwidth guarantees, quality-of-service (QOS) gaurantees, and multimedia streaming content.

Typical bandwidth: 155mbs

See also: Virtual Circuit, Permanent Virtual Circuit (PVC), CCITT, Quality-of-Service (QoS), SONET, SDH, Long-Haul Network, Internet Protocol (IP)

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