There is no doubt about it: Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) traffic will soon connect to the wireless network. Its characteristics are very well adapted to provide a well-balanced mix of voice and data communications. The question here is where will adaptation layers be processed? Should the Wireless Carrier be burdened with converting ATM-based traffic in other interfaces such as Cellular Digital Packet Data, a solution leading to multiple and possibly unmanageable gateway functions? Or should an Air Interface be developed to carry ATM traffic? Pushing ATM adaptation layers closer to the point of consumption of voice, data or video holds many advantages. This paper attempts to shine some light on the subject.

Date Published: 8 January 1996
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 2602, Wireless Technologies and Services for Cellular and Personal Communication Services, (8 January 1996);

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2602:
Wireless Technologies and Services for Cellular and Personal Communication Services
Eileen McGrath-Hadwen; Howard S. Babbitt III; Michael L. Gulledge; James Madsen, Editor(s)