Abstract: The method of the present invention achieves a desired assignment of the physical cell slots comprising a time division multiplexed frame to embedded channels by ascribing an element address to uniquely identify each of the cell slots of the frame. A logical assignment of the cell slots of the frame is made to the embedded channels to be established between one or more specific data sources and sinks. A transform chosen to produce a particular distribution of assignments is then applied to the set of element addresses to produce a set of cell slot addresses, each of which uniquely identifies each cell slot of the frame by its relative physical position within the frame. Each of the element addresses (used to logically associate a cell slot with a channel to be established) is uniquely linked on a one-to-one basis with one of the set of cell slot addresses (used to identify relative position of a cell slot within the frame) through the predetermined transform.