AbstractOver the last couple of years both the ATM Forum and ITU‐T have converged on a closed‐loop, feedback based, rate control mechanism as the framework for the Available Bit Rate ATM Transfer Capability. In this framework, anABRsource adapts its transmission rate to changing characteristics of the ATM network by either testing periodically the state of the network or through direct feedback from the network. The state of the network is conveyed to the source either as a simple binary feedback signaling congestion or no congestion, or as an explicit rate indicating the rate at which the source can transmit. In this paper we review the detailed framework for theABRservice standardized by the ATM Forum, the underlying service philosophy and protocol design goals forABRflow control, and the premises and high‐level performance characteristics for the more promisingABRrate control schemes proposed s