Abstract: In a connection between an origin node (S, VS1) and a destination node (D, VD2), data traffic is policed by a policing device (POL) so that traffic descriptors in a traffic contract between subscriber and network provider and rules specified in standards have to be respected by the origin node (S, VS1), unless data will be discarded by the policer (POL). To control its cell transmit rate, the origin node (S, VS1) regularly transmits resource management cells (FRM) which are returned by nodes along the path to the destination (D, VD2). Once reflected, the resource management cells (FRM) become backward resource management cells (BRM). Each time such a backward resource management cell (BRM) passes the policing device (POL), the policer determines a scheduled rate value (R.sub.-- first, R.sub.-- last) and associated scheduled time value (T.sub.-- first, T.sub.-- last) and memorises both values in a list of scheduled rate values.