Switched Multimegabit Data Service

SMDS, communications network based on data packet switching (designed to serve as a foundation for data networks in telephone companies)

Switched Multimegabit Data Service (SMDS) is a telecommunications service that provides connectionless, high- performance, packet-switched data transport. Being neither a protocol nor a technology, it supports standard protocols and communications interfaces using current (and future) technology. SMDS allows users to transparently extend their data communications capabilities over a wider geographical area. Since it is a SERVICE offered by the telephone companies, SMDS permits this expansion using existing Customer-premises equipment (CPE) and protocols, with minimal investment in dedicated leased lines as the number of line terminations increases.
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<networking> (SMDS) An emerging high-speed datagram-based public data network service developed by Bellcore and expected to be widely used by telephone companies as the basis for their data networks.
See also Metropolitan Area Network.
(1997-01-31)