The Internet is rapidly becoming an electronic agent for commerce, entertainment, communication, and information retrieval. At the same time, new network-enabled intranet applications and powerful desktop computers are driving an exponential increase in network traffic. Its increasing popularity has forced several carriers, competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs), and Internet service providers (ISPs) to offer high-speed dedicated access. Currently the two most popular dedicated access connections are DS0 (transmission speed of 56 Kbps) and T1 (transmission speed of 1.544 Mbps).Many businesses that use these types of connections to gain access to the Internet are experiencing strains in throughput and slow response times. Network designers are searching for a new networking solution that can satisfy the ever-increasing need for bandwidth and transmission capacity. As a result of this emerging demand, carriers, CLECs, and ISPs are now offering DS3 (45 Mbps) dedicated access connections.Anticipating these trends, Cisco Systems has responded by developing a six- and 12-port DS3 line card; it is designed to simplify the deployment of DS3 services. These two new line cards allow the Gigabit Switch Router (GSR) to be connected to high-speed DS3 leased line service. With these two line cards and the existing Cisco optical-based channelized OC-12 line card, a network designer can select either an optical or electrical-based solution for high-speed customer access.