The device for data packet switching in each case contains, for a number of input channels (1-1 to 1-32), an input memory (2-1 to 2-32), an optical space switch (5) to transmit the data packets from the input memories to a desired output channel (10-1 to 10-32) and a controller (6) to control the space switch on the basis of the header information in the data packets. The controller (6) analyses the header label of the data packets on each input channel in order to identify data packets which can be output, these data packets which can be output all being output at once after the connections have been set up by the space switch (5). The data packets are switched successively by repeating the process. <IMAGE>
