Abstract: Information (cell) that is to be transmitted at least partially via a packet-oriented communication network, e.g. Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) or via a cell-oriented communication network is inserted as useful information into a useful data field of at least one data packet of the communication network, which contains target and useful data respectively, or into a time slot of the time-slot oriented communication network. According to the invention, additional routing information for the transmission is assigned to the information prior to insertion into the data packet or time slot, whereby the information that has been sent with the data packet or time slot to a destination in the packet -or cell-oriented communication network is transmitted in accordance with the respective assigned routing information. The invention permits information cell, cell that is to be transmitted via different connections to be transmitted cost-effectively and transparently via a packet-oriented communication network.

Abstract: Information (cell) that is to be transmitted at least partially via a packet-oriented communication network, e.g. Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) or via a cell-oriented communication network is inserted as useful information into a useful data field of at least one data packet of the communication network, which contains target and useful data respectively, or into a time slot of the time-slot oriented communication network. According to the invention, additional routing information for the transmission is assigned to the information prior to insertion into the data packet or time slot, whereby the information that has been sent with the data packet or time slot to a destination in the packet-or cell-oriented communication network is transmitted in accordance with the respective assigned routing information. The invention permits information cell, cell that is to be transmitted via different connections to be transmitted cost-effectively and transparently via a packet-oriented communication network.

Abstract: The invention relates to a communication system comprising several connection units, associated to each other and to which several redundant transmission lines, provided for establishing at least one communication link, are respectively connected. In each of said connection units, control functions are provided for controlling functions which are centrally executed in said communication system and/or in the respective communication unit. According to the invention, in case of failure of at least one part of said control functions in one of the connection units, at least the failed communication system-specific and/or connection unit-specific functions are controlled by the control functions of the at least one corresponding connection unit. Advantageously, the line redundancy is combined with a module redundancy for a central connection unit or module, which contains both local interface functions and central control functions of the communication system.

Abstract: Multicasting information (vi) is transmitted via at least one communications network (CORE, ACCESS) to a first decentralised communications device (DSLAM1). The multicasting information that has been transmitted is made available for transmission or distribution of at least part of the transmitted multicasting information (vi) to at least one subscriber connection of the first decentralised communications device (DSLAM1). The received multicasting information (vi) is additionally retransmitted to at least one further decentralised communications device (DSLAM2 k). The use of the transmission resources made available by the at least one communications network (CORE, ACCESS) is advantageously optimised in the creation of unidirectional distribution services.