A Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL) is used to connect Customer Premises Equipment
(CPE) to a telecommunications network. The Customer Premises Equipment generates
both Constant Bit-Rate (CBR) and Variable Bit-Rate (VBR) Packets. Each Frame of
Packets from the Customer Premises Equipment is used to transmit up to a limited
amount of CBR data, and VBR data is used, if available, to fill up the Frame. The
limit on the amount of CBR data can be dynamically adjusted according to the need
of the CPE. Similarly, and importantly, a limit on CBR data to the CPE can be adjusted
dynamicaly according to the need for transmission of CBR data to the CPE. Advantageously,
a guaranteed rate of transmission of CBR data can be maintained, even in the face
of a flood of VBR traffic. Advantageously, this arrangement improves the quality
of service on CBR traffic, such as Voice, and subject to the limit imposed by CBR
traffic, allows a maximum amount of VBR traffic to be transmitted.