Statistical multiplexer
termnetworkingISP & telecom
A multiplexer that allocates line capacity on demand rather than by fixed time slot.
Terminals are idle most of the time, so a fixed slot per terminal wastes most of a line. The statistical multiplexer buffers and interleaves instead, giving capacity to whoever is transmitting, and sold on the arithmetic: fewer leased lines for the same terminal count. It also introduced queueing and therefore variable delay, which is the trade every shared-capacity technology since has made. The companies built on it were substantial and mostly did not survive the arrival of networks that did the same thing end to end.
Also known as: stat mux, statmux, statistical multiplexing