Abstract: A data distribution system and method for the timely, efficient and reliable distribution of data to an unlimited number of remote receiver installations. A data source assembles data packets, and upon filing or after the lapse of a predetermined interval of time, broadcasts a respective data packet to all receivers and recovery means along a communication network. Each receiver is intelligent, in that it copies the data packets into a buffer and has the responsibility of selecting out data needed to perform the receiver's intended functions. As a result, intermediate data selecting and routing means between the data source and receivers are avoided, resulting in data delivery which is both rapid and timely. For reliability, each receiver monitors the sequence numbers of the data packets which have been received and, also, whether a data packet is received at least as frequently as the predetermined interval of time.