Broadband
Integrated Services Digital Network
BISDN is both a concept and a set of services and developing standards
for integrating digital transmission services in a broadband network of
fiber optic and radio media. BISDN will encompass
frame relay service for high-speed data that
can be sent in large bursts, the Fiber Distributed-Data
Interface (FDDI), and the Synchronous
Optical Network (SONET). BISDN will support
transmission from 2 Mbps up to much higher, but
as yet unspecified, rates.
BISDN is the broadband counterpart to Integrated
Services Digital Network (ISDN), which provides
digital transmission over ordinary telephone company copper wires on the
narrowband local loop.