A packet scheduling apparatus corrects an overhead amount between a DSL
rate and a packet rate, converts DSL rate information to the packet rate,
and shapes the IP packets from the Internet such that the IP packets are
delivered at a transmission rate equal to or lower than the packet rate.
An IP/ATM converter converts the IP packets from the packet scheduling
apparatus to ATM cells. A DSL multiplexer has a DSL current rate detector
for supplying DSL rate information indicative of a currently set DSL
rate, and transmits the ATM cells from the IP/ATM converter or the IP
packets from the packet scheduling apparatus to user terminals through
DSL processing using telephone lines.