N:1 transcoder

An N:1 transcoder comprising:

• an uncompressed digroup circuit operable to receive N incoming uncompressed signals and extract a plurality of control, signaling, speech, voice-band data, and digital data traffic channels therefrom;
• a compressor coupled to said uncompressed digroup circuit and operable to compress data from selected ones of said extracted speech, voice-band data, and digital data channels;
• a compressed data circuit coupled to said compressor and operable to dynamically pack said compressed data into time slots of one compressed signal, and further providing control, signaling, and performance monitoring information embedded therein, said compressed data circuit including a packer for dynamically packing said compressed data into available time slots in said compressed signal, said compressed data circuit including a proprietary communications link generator coupled to said packer, said proprietary communications link generator operable to generate control and overhead data for said compressed signal from extracted control traffic channels of said incoming uncompressed signals, said packer embedding said control and overhead data into a proprietary communication link occupying at least one predetermined time slot of said compressed signal.