Abstract: According to the present invention, a method and system for communicating via a switched virtual circuit (SVC) is provided wherein transmission traffic is monitored between two ATM switches. When call traffic between the two switches increases above a predetermined level, at least one SVC can be established. At least one, and typically more than one, idle SVC is established and maintained by a media gateway controller utilizing a virtual termination in each switch that is connected to each end of the SVC. This allows end users to be connected to and disconnected from the SVC, without the need to establish or break down the SVC. The SVC remains connected between the switches as long as a predetermined threshold value of packet data transmissions is exceeded. The SVC is torn down when the level of transmissions goes below a predetermined level.