Abstract: An asynchronous transfer mode network, in accordance with the present invention, includes a plurality of remote terminals remotely disposed relative to a central office. The remote terminals are connected by a ring with two paths. The ring transfers signals thereon in opposite directions relative to each path. The central office feeds duplicate signals on each path. Each remote terminal includes a first multiplexer for routing signals transferred on the ring to and from an asynchronous feeder multiplexer. The asynchronous feeder multiplexer is adapted to route components of downstream signals on a first path of the ring to a destination and to replace the components of the signals on the first path with copies of components of signals running in an opposite direction on a second path of the ring such that at any location in the network both paths provide all signals.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, an interface between an incumbent local exchange carrier's central office terminal and a competitive local exchange carrier's remote terminal is provided by an Integrated Services Digital Network interconnection. Such a connection provides two basic data channels of 64 Kbps each and at least one utility channel. The ISDN signal can be carried over a single wire pair. The interface may be used to interconnect one or two digital channels. The channel units may be designed to remove the robbed bits from the data channels and place them in the utility channels. Further, the utility channel may be employed to transmit frame phasing information so that the networks can synchronize their robbed bit signaling so that both networks use the same bit positions for robbed bit signaling thus minimizing data bandwidth reduction due to robbed bit signaling.