Abstract: A switching network is disclosed having a time-division or space-division multiplex incoming stage and outgoing stage in which a terminal unit of the incoming stage and a terminal unit of the outgoing stage form a terminal module (ME1, ME2 . . . MEn) which can handle n multiplex links (LE1, . . . LEn). The terminal modules are formed into groups in which the traffic of a faulty module is distributed among the other terminal modules of the group and forwarded over an auxiliary incoming line (L9, L10, L11, L12) of each terminal module by an input switch (5, 6, 7, 8) associated with each terminal module. An output switch (9, 10, 11, 12) associated with each terminal module and linked to the auxiliary outgoing line (13, 14, 15, 16) of the other modules collects the distributed traffic.