Circuit Switching and Packet Switching

Circuit switching, although more reliable than packet-switching because it is able to get your message across without any hiccups, is old and expensive. Circuit switching is based on having a dedicated line or session between two stations and thus, you are able to get the full message across without congestion or interruptions. An example of circuit switching hardware is PBX. In addition, with circuit switching, a path to the destination is already decided upon before the transmission starts and it only terminates once the session is complete and sends its message through. A disadvantage of circuit switching is that you are only able to use the line or transmit one session at a time because of its dedicated circuit. Another disadvantage is its cost.

Packet switching is more modern and transmits voice data. Although, as compared to circuit switching, the quality may be lower because of the ability to use lines or sessions at the same time and thus, creating congestion or even data loss. With packet switching there is no circuit dedication like circuit switching. However, unlike circuit switching where the path to the destination is already decided upon before transmission, with packet switching, each packet has to find its own route to the destination. The disadvantage of packet switching is the potential for low quality transmissions and even data loss. In my opinion, these days, packet switching is more commonly used because it is used in LAN technologies or set ups. I would think that circuit switching is used for analog lines and networks, but during these days where most organizations are changing to digital and especially VoIP, packet switching would be more common.