Switched communication network with bandwidth managers for achieving end-to-end data compression during transport

A switched telecommunications network comprising:

• a plurality of interconnected switching devices and a plurality of bandwidth management devices arranged to provide access to the switching devices providing a plurality of switching networks, each switching network including means for switching a respective type of data,
• the plurality of bandwidth management devices including a transmitting bandwidth management device arranged to compress data from a transmitting user for transmission over the network, and a receiving bandwidth management device arranged to de-compress received compressed data for transmission to a receiving user, wherein the transmitted data remains in compressed form while being switched and transmitted by the network,
• means for compressing data prior to being multiplexed for transmission to a switching device constituting a local exchange, the multiplexed data being demultiplexed at the local exchange, and
• means at the local exchange for de-multiplexing multiplexed data wherein each type of data obtained form the multiplex is supplied to respective networks in compressed form.