A linked-list structure and method for use in an ATM network switch (13) capable of adaptively providing highly efficient, and thus low cost, integrated services therein. The linked-list structure involves the creation of a list having pointers to a subsequent linked list as list entries. Within the subsequent linked list, each entry can be a pointer to a further linked list. The structure can be expended to further levels of linked lists as required. Bandwidth distribution is thus achieved among list members at each level. The linked-list structure is employed in the present switch (13), which includes an input port processor (20), a bandwidth arbiter (11), and an output port processor (22), for switch bandwidth scheduling for both point-to-point, multipoint-to-point and point-to-multipoint cell transfers from the input port processor, and for output link scheduling at the output port processor (22).