PURPOSE: To reduce the loads of a switch node and to easily perform start by directly outputting ATM cells for which reloading a header value is unnecessary among the ATM cells inputted to an input part through an ATM switch to an output part and outputting the ATM cells for which reloading a header part is necessary through the ATM switch to an ATM cell header reloading part and then through the ATM switch again to the output part.

CONSTITUTION: The ATM cell header reloading part 40 connected to at least one pair of the input/output ports of the ATM switch 10 and provided with a function for reloading the ATM cell header of the ATM cell of a specified header value with the different header value is provided. Then, the ATM cells for which reloading the header value is unnecessary among the ATM cells inputted to the input part 20 are directly outputted through the switch 10 to the output part 30. On the other hand, the ATM cells for which reloading is necessary are outputted to the ATM cell header reloading part 40 and then, outputted through the switch 10 again to the output part 30.