Abstract: An orthogonal frequency division multiplexing signal transmitted from the transmitting end to the receiving end intermittently includes a particular symbol S0 having a predetermined particular pattern in addition to a symbol Sm including data to be transmitted. At the receiving end, the variation in the receiving level and/or the variation in the frequency band of a received signal are detected and corrected on the basis of the received particular symbol S0. Since the particular symbol S0 has a particular pattern, the variation in the level and/or the variation in the frequency are strongly correlated with the variation in the receiving level and/or the variation in the frequency band of the received signal. Consequently, the variation in the receiving level and/or the variation in the frequency band of the received signal can be accurately detected from the particular symbol S0 and consequently high-precision correction can be made.

Abstract: An integrated voice and data network includes a multiplexer arranged with a voice queue for storing voice packets and a data queue for storing data packets. Voice packets are transmitted for a predetermined interval T1. Data packets are transmitted for a predetermined interval T2. The predetermined intervals T1 and T2 may be of different durations. A separate signaling queue can be provided for storing received signaling messages. If a signaling message is moved into the separate signaling queue during either interval T1 and T2, that interval is suspended and the transmission of voice or data packets is interrupted until the entire signaling message is transmitted. Then the interrupted voice or data transmission is resumed for the remainder of the suspended interval T1 or T2. As an alternative, signaling messages can be transmitted during predetermined intervals between the intervals T1 and T2. Block dropping of low order voice bits also is described for reducing congestion at the node.