From: bmanning@ISI.EDU Subject: Re: ATM Utility To: tjs@msc.edu (Tim Salo) Date: Mon, 31 Oct 1994 21:33:03 +1600 (PST) Cc: avg@sprint.net, nanog@merit.edu, nap@hq.si.net [...]
I believe that ATM, even in its perhaps immature state, is useful and cost-effective in a number of applications today. In particular, the cost of wide-area DS-3 ATM services can be very attractive when compared to a number of point-to-point DS-3s. -tjs
The minor point that might have been missed is that there is a tradeoff between point-to-point DS-3s (at 44.7Mbps in clear channel) vs ATM DS-3s (at 34Mbps w/ ATM framing). Now if I can get four ATM DS3s for less than I can get 3 point-to-point DS3s, then I can get a win. (raw bandwidth being about equal... :)
Wide-area DS-3 ATM service can often be cost effective because: o The number of DS-3 local loops is often reduced [For example, three DS-3s connecting three sites require six local loops, while three DS-3 ATM connections require only three local loops.] o DS-3 ATM pricing seems to typically be distance-insensitive. -tjs