packet switching

Definition/Scope: A method of passing information between any two points in a network in units (packets). The information to be passed is disassembled into packets on entry into the network, and packets then proceed individually by any available route to their destination. Before leaving the network, the packets are reassembled into their original form.

Broader Terms:

computer network
data transmission systems
telecommunication

Narrower Terms:

asynchronous transfer mode