packet network

A network that carries signals containing audio, video, or text by chopping the data into packets (tiny digital parcels), commingling them with other packets as they are routed to their destinations, and reassembling each signal upon its arrival. The Internet is a packet network, whereas the telephone system is a circuit network (in which a signal travels unbroken to its destination).

See also : packet switching  
NetLingo Classification: Technical Terms

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