!!! Overview
[{$pagename}] ([ATM]) was designed for a [network] that must handle both traditional high-throughput [data] traffic (e.g., file transfers), and real-time, low-[latency] content such as [voice] and [video]. 



[{$pagename}] approximately maps to the three lowest layers of the [OSI-Model]: 
* [Network Layer]
* [Data-link Layer]
* [Physical Layer].
[{$pagename}] is a core [protocol] used over the [SONET]/[SDH] backbone of the [Public Switched Telephone Network] ([PSTN]) and [Integrated Services Digital Network] ([ISDN]), but its use is declining in favour of all [Internet Protocol Suite].


[{$pagename}] uses [Asynchronous Operation] time-division multiplexing, and encodes [data] into small, fixed-sized [packets] ([ISO-OSI frames]) called cells. This differs from approaches such as the [Internet Protocol] or [Ethernet] that use variable sized [packets] and [frames]. 
[{$pagename}] uses a connection-oriented model in which a virtual circuit must be established between two endpoints before the actual [Communication] begins. These virtual circuits may be "permanent", i.e. dedicated connections that are usually preconfigured by the service provider, or "switched", i.e. set up on a per-call basis using signalling and disconnected when the call is terminated.

!! More Information
There might be more information for this subject on one of the following:
[{ReferringPagesPlugin before='*' after='\n' }]
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* [#1] - [Asynchronous_Transfer_Mode|Wikipedia:Asynchronous_Transfer_Mode|target='_blank'] - based on information obtained 2018-03-23-