Telecommunication system with detection and control of packet collisions

In a telecommunication system in which input and output line cards provide an interface between synchronous communication channels that are interconnected by an asynchronous network, a method comprising the steps of:

• generating and storing packets by each input line card during a predetermined time frame, each packet carrying information received from the synchronous communication channels and having an output line card destination;
• selecting a sequence for the sequential transmission of the packets by each input line card to the asynchronous network;
• determining, based on the sequence of packets selected by the selecting step, a cumulative number of packets that will be stored for delivery to each output line card due to collisions that would occur at each output line card during the predetermined time frame, a collision being the substantially concurrent arrival at an output line card of more than one packet;
• comparing the cumulative number for each output line card with a predetermined delay threshold;
• reducing the number of packets that will be transmitted to an output line card if the cumulative number exceeds the predetermined delay threshold in order to maintain time delay within a predetermined limit.