a digital cross - connect system has a network management system for designating input and output terminals and delivering one - to - one connection and one - to - many branch connection request signals , and a plurality of cross - connect devices each including a multistage switch for switching connections between the input and output terminals over former , intermediate , and latter stages , and a switch control device for controlling switched connections between the input and output terminals . the network management system designates a switch in the latter stage and delivers a one - to - many connection request signal . the switch control device instructs a switch in the former stage to make a one - to - one connection only and inhibits the switch from making a one - to - many branch connection in response to the one - to - many connection request signal , and also instructs the designated switch in the latter stage to inhibit signals from being supplied from input terminals other than one designated input terminal . if the switch designated by the one - to - many connection request signal is blocked and fails to make any connections , then error information is returned from the switch control device to the network management system .