TDM buffering

A time division multiplexed traffic cell (4100), and time division multiplexed buffering techniques for packing the time division multiplexed traffic cell, in a communications system comprising a header section (4102) including a signaling section (4105) and also a data section (4104). The signaling section (4105) includes a first plurality of bits, wherein the first plurality of bits comprise signaling bits from a digital signal and the data section (4106) comprises a second plurality of bits following the first plurality of bits, wherein the second plurality of bits comprises pulse code modulated samples from the digital signal. The data section may also contain pulse code modulated samples from a plurality of digital signals. Additionally, the header section (4102) may contain header information including an asynchronous specific header (4106, 4108).