N-GEN Communications Web-based Seminars ©NGCS

Seminar - An Overview of Communications Technologies

Module 4 - ATM Technology                                                                                                                      Slide 18 of 46 _________________                                                                                  __________

                                             Cells vs. Frames

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Frame Relay and ATM technologies are suitable for different applications.

Frame:    - Variable length number of information bytes
             - Flags delimit beginning and end
             - Similar to HDLC frame
             - Very bandwidth efficient
             - Not suitable for real-time information

Cell:        - Fixed length frames
              - Very efficient processing
              - Suitable for voice, data and video