ATM local access

In a Telecommunications Infrastructure an Access Network or Segment of an Access-Layer Infrastructure having a plurality of subscribers or extensions linked to one or more gateways having ports and providing access to/from higher network layers where the linking from the subscribers or extensions to the gateways is carried out by the statistical-multiplexing of ATM cells carried in time-slots formatted onto broadband bearers a desired gateway (destination) being identified by a number carried in the Virtual-Path Identifier field of each ATM cell and the source being identified by a number carried in an additional address field external to the ATM cell but internal to the time-slot, the linking from the gateways to the subscribers or extensions being by means of a distribution switch, the desired subscriber (destination) being identified by the number carried in the additional address field and the source being identified by the number carried in the Virtual Path Identifier field of the cell.