Abstract: A system (10) for communicating information associated with one or more subscribers includes a connecting link (50). A first switching system (14) coupled to the connecting link (50) communicates remote voice signals (60) and remote data signals (62) using the connecting link (50). A second switching system (14) coupled to the connecting link (50) includes an interface (56) to receive the remote voice signals (60) and the remote data signals (62) using the connecting link (50). The second switching system (14) also includes subscriber line ports (17) for receiving local voice signals (52) and local data signals (54) from subscribers. The interface (56) of the second switching system (14) selectively communicates the highest priority available signals using an outgoing link, voice signals (52, 54) having higher priority than data signals (60, 62). In a more particular embodiment, the remote voice signals (60) may have higher priority than the local voice signals (52).

Abstract: A system for switching and routing data associated with one or more subscribers within a subscriber community includes layer-2 switching functionality and an intermediate device, both within a first network access switch. The intermediate device is operable to receive data units from the layer-2 switching functionality and to selectively store first data units received by the intermediate device after layer-3 routing functionality has begun to process a data block comprising the first data units and before all other data units within the data block ahead of the first data units have been switched for communication and external device of layer 2 switching functionality of another network access switch.