Which statement accurately compares packet switching and circuit switching in telecommunication networks?

Which statement accurately compares packet switching and circuit switching in telecommunication networks?

• A. Packet switching uses the network only when data is transmitted, while circuit switching uses the network for the entire call.
• B. Packet switching reserves a dedicated path for the duration of a call.
• C. Circuit switching uses the network only when data is transmitted.
• D. Both switching methods use the network identically for all calls.

Answer: (A)

Resource allocation in switching methods is the key idea here. Packet switching sends data in small packets over a shared network and does not reserve a dedicated path for the entire transmission; the network is used only while packets are being transmitted, which makes efficient use of capacity but can lead to variable delays. Circuit switching, in contrast, establishes and reserves a dedicated end-to-end path for the whole duration of the call, keeping that path allocated even if no data is flowing at times, which guarantees steady bandwidth and predictable latency but can waste capacity during silence. So, describing packet switching as using the network only when data is transmitted and circuit switching as using the network for the entire call accurately captures the fundamental difference between the two methods.

Resource allocation in switching methods is the key idea here. Packet switching sends data in small packets over a shared network and does not reserve a dedicated path for the entire transmission; the network is used only while packets are being transmitted, which makes efficient use of capacity but can lead to variable delays. Circuit switching, in contrast, establishes and reserves a dedicated end-to-end path for the whole duration of the call, keeping that path allocated even if no data is flowing at times, which guarantees steady bandwidth and predictable latency but can waste capacity during silence. So, describing packet switching as using the network only when data is transmitted and circuit switching as using the network for the entire call accurately captures the fundamental difference between the two methods.