Abstract: An asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network includes a plurality of data links interconnecting a plurality of data exchange nodes, and a plurality of data terminals connected by data links associated therewith to the data exchange nodes in the ATM network. In the ATM network, a virtual circuit is selectively established over which a series of data packets including one or a plurality of coded cells is routed from a source terminal toward a destination terminal. Each of these cells includes an information field and a header section. The terminals are assigned with identification parameters respectively, which parameters are uniform in value within the network. When a cell is transferred from the source terminal to the destination terminal along a presently determined route including selected links associated with certain data exchange node or nodes, a specific identification parameter being assigned to the destination terminal is written into the header section of the cell.