The NIIF network currently applies intelligent ATM NTU-s. The units provide 34 and 155 Mbps IP network connections.

The ATM NTU is an intelligent and managed multiservice ATM network termination unit. They provide more than ATM user connections: besides the currently used LAN interconnection they are suitable for voice (PBX) and leased-line data transmission. The existing ACE-101 units can be upgraded by simple module replacement for up to 4 E1 (2Mbps) PBX connections.

The high-capacity ATM NTU-s can aggregate several user or backbone connections.

Moreover, the intelligent multiservice NTU-s are capable to perform switching functions, offering a cost sensitive solution at minor or low-traffic sites.

They can also be applied for the extension of user connections with local traffic concentration.

The unique TDM over IP technology can be applied to handle non-IP traffic in the IP-MPLS segment of the network.

Non-IP traffic can be transparently carried over the high capacity IP network. What does "non-IP" traffic mean? Several telecommunications and data equipment generates non-IP traffic at the interfaces. One example can be the TDM connection of a PBX - referred to as E1, 2Mbps, digital trunk, PCM or ISDN. We think of leased-line type data connections and all kinds of transparent, real-time data connections as well.

The TDMoIP procedure fragments the data or voice data stream and forwards these data units by IP packets to the network. The transmission is completely transparent (there is no voice compression - a difference from VoIP) - therefore it is a technology for high capacity IP networks that can provide the required transmission quality.

TDMoIP based solutions typically enable 2Mbps (and ISDN BRI or analogue) PBX interconnection via the IP network. Other data connection requirements can be fulfilled by the TDMoIP main-link multiplexers.

In case of Ethernet access network the non-IP traffic (PBX, leased-line type data) can be integrated. This is a simple way to implement a closed telephone network, utilising the existing PBX-s with TDM interfaces via the IP network that needs no further modification or extension.