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A new packet data communication service known as Local Area Data Transport (LADT) has been recently introduced. Combining new loop electronics technology with packet switching, LADT provides customers with low‐cost data communications within local access and transport areas, as well as access to interexchange data communications networks. This paper describes the need for LADT, its goals, architecture, and services, and also serves as an introduction to the following paper on LADT system hardware and software.

A growing market demand for high‐performance voice, data, image and video networks, coupled with advances in high‐speed technologies has heightened interest in broadband ISDN (BISDN) throughout the world. Network providers, equipment manufacturers and standards bodies are working jointly to accelerate the definition of BISDN interfaces in anticipation of emerging market opportunities. BISDN is being designed as the foundation upon which to implement very flexible, high‐bandwidth, high‐performance networks. A multiplexing concept called asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), which can offer bandwidth on demand at rates exceeding 150 Mb/s, high‐speed packet switching, and an efficient protocol which adapts existing information streams into the ATM format are key attributes of the emerging BISDN network standards. This paper reviews the motivations behind BISDN, explains its key attributes and challenges and discusses possible strategies for evolving today's network toward BISDN.

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