An ATM Packet Access Gateway (ATM PAG) system manages an ATM bearer path extending
between ATM endpoints participating, for example, in a VoATM call. The system includes
an ATM PAG having a first ATM bearer connection termination for terminating a first
bearer connection with a first ATM endpoint, and a second ATM connection termination
for terminating a second bearer connection with a second ATM endpoint. A call control
entity is associated with the ATM PAG and communicates call control instructions
thereto. The call control instructions include instructions for logically concatenating
the first and second ATM bearer connections into an active ATM bearer path extending
between the first ATM endpoint and the second ATM endpoint. A Media Access Gateway
(MAG) function of the ATM PAG is responsible for establishing the connections that
form the ATM bearer path. An ATM switch function of the ATM PAG moves bearer traffic
ATM packet payloads over the active ATM bearer path.
