The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (30 December 2018):
virtual circuit
switched virtual circuit
A connection-oriented network service which
is implemented on top of a network which may be either
connection-oriented or connectionless (packet switching).
The term "switched virtual circuit" was coined needlessly to
distinguish an ordinary virtual circuit from a permanent
virtual circuit. (One of the perpetrators of this confusion
appears to be ["Networking Essentials", 1996, Microsoft Press,
ISBN 1-55615-806-8], a book aimed at people preparing for the
MCSE exam on LANs and WANs).
Not to be confused with switched virtual connection.
(2001-10-26)