Abstract:
A network element is provided comprising at least one switch, which is configurable to connect a subscriber line to a first service line or to a second service line, wherein the connection of the subscriber line to the first service line or to the second service line is configured via a signal conveyed across the second service line. Also, a system is suggested comprising two or more switches, wherein each switch is configurable to connect a subscriber line to a first service line or to a second service line, a control circuitry for controlling the two or more switches, an MSAN comprising two or more second service lines, wherein a dedicated service line of an MSAN is used for controlling the control circuitry. Further, methods for operating the network element or the system are suggested.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/140,226, filed on Mar. 30, 2015, entitled “Line Card controlled MDF-Switch,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    This document relates to telecommunications networks and components. Telecommunications networks continue to evolve with service providers deploying more fiber to the curb (FTTC), fiber to the neighborhood (or node) (FTTN), and/or fiber to the premises (FTTP), while also maintaining existing ADSL/POTS networks. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The document discloses a (communication) network element, in particular a cable node, as system comprising a cable node and methods for configuring such a network element. 
         [0004]    The cable node may in particular a node in a telecommunication system that allows connecting subscriber loops or wires to the Internet. 
         [0005]    Examples described herein can be used, e.g., by network operators which have a legacy ADSL/POTS network set up and are in the process of building a FTTC/FTTN network to deploy VDSL services to their customers. 
         [0006]    A single subscriber may obtain its ADSL/POTS service over a long copper loop from a central office (CO). Implementations provided herewith allow the operator to flexibly switch the new service (e.g., VDSL2) to the subscriber line when the customer wants to obtain this new service. The customer may hence get the requested service either from the CO and/or from the FTTC/FTTN network. 
         [0007]    Any manual and incremental rollout is time consuming and expensive. This in particular applies for single customers gradually choosing new services, which would then require an technician to approach the cable node and to manually patch the connection in the cable node. The cable node may be a DSLAM or any network node that provides connections to the customers. 
         [0008]    Hence, it is an objective to flexibly and cost-efficiently control a cable node of a telecommunication network. 
         [0009]    This is achieved according to the features of the independent claims. Further implementations result from the depending claims. 
         [0010]    A network element is provided comprising:
       at least one switch, which is configurable to connect a subscriber line to a first service line or to a second service line,   wherein the connection of the subscriber line to the first service line or to the second service line is configured via a signal conveyed across the second service line.       
 
         [0013]    It is noted that each switch may be a relay, in particular a latched relay (with persistent states even if no power is supplied to the relay). 
         [0014]    Hence, the switch can be controlled by, e.g., a VDSL line card of a DSLAM or a MSAN. In such case, no additional control equipment or control wiring is required. Existing line cards may be used; in particular, no redesign is required, a software upgrade of the line card may suffice. The approach allows for a compact design with a built-in POTS-splitter, which is beneficial with regard to the overall space required. 
         [0015]    It is also an option that the switch can be controlled via a line connected to a CO. In such case, the second service line is connected to the CO. Hence, the POTS or ADSL service may be used to convey an information that allows switching to configure the setting of the switch connecting the subscriber line to the first or the second service line. 
         [0016]    Subscribers can be individually plugged onto the VDSL line via the switch; this bears the advantage of a freely and flexibly scalable solution. 
         [0017]    Advantageously, a rollout to an FTTC/FTTN node to manually patch the subscriber line onto the VDSL port is no longer required. This allows the operator so provide a cost efficient, flexible and quick migration of a subscriber or a group of subscribers to new services, e.g., VDSL or VDSL2. 
         [0018]    The solution provided also bears the advantage that a technician does not have to go to the actual FTTC/FTTN cabinet to manually patch a subscriber line onto a new service port. Instead, the configuration can be remotely updated via a network management center. 
         [0019]    In some implementations, the network element is a cable (connection) node. 
         [0020]    The network element may in particular be or comprise a DSLAM, a cabinet or any telecommunication node that allows connecting or patching of subscribers. The network element may in particular comprise a cable node and/or an MSAN. It is an option that the MSAN is part of the cable node or arranged in the vicinity of the cable node. The MSAN may be any device comprising a connection to a high speed network, e.g., an optical network or any type of aggregation network. 
         [0021]    In some implementations, the first service line is a connection to a central office and/or wherein the second service line is a connection to a high-speed network, an IP network, an aggregation network or an optical network. 
         [0022]    The first service line may provide, e.g., PSTN and/or ADSL services; the second service line may provide VDSL and subsequent (i.e. VDSL2, SHDSL, G.Fast, etc.) services. 
         [0023]    In some implementations, the network element further comprises a control element to control the switch, wherein the control element is coupled to the second service line and the control element is arranged to trigger the switch based on a signal received via the second service line. 
         [0024]    The control element may comprise a control unit and a decoding element (the latter being also referred to as “protection and power circuitry”). 
         [0025]    In some implementations, the second service line is connected to a line card, said line card providing a MELT functionality or a DSL functionality. 
         [0026]    Either the MELT functionality (from a MELT controller or a line card with a MELT function) or the DSL functionality can be used to convey a signal (signature, command) to trigger the at least one switch via the control element. 
         [0027]    In some implementations, the line card provides a supply voltage for the control element. 
         [0028]    Either the MELT functionality or the DSL functionality can be used to convey power and/or control or configuration information to the control element. 
         [0029]    In some implementations, the control element is arranged to control two or more switches. 
         [0030]    Hence, a matrix of switches can be controlled via the control element. The control element may obtain an information how to control the two or more switches via the second service line. This information may be sent from a MELT controller on a VDSL line card or by a VDSL line card with an integrated MELT function. 
         [0031]    In some implementations, the switch is an MDF-switch comprising
       a first port to the first service line, a second port to the second service line and a third port to which the subscriber line is connected,   a control unit,   a first relay,   a decoding element which is connected to the second port, wherein the decoding element is arranged
           to detect a signature that reaches the second port,   to supply the signature to the control unit   
           wherein the control unit controls the first relay based on the signature.       
 
         [0039]    The control unit and the decoding element may be arranged as a single component or as distributed components. The signature may comprise a signal that is modulated onto a base signal that is conveyed across the second service line. The second service line may be directly or indirectly connected to a CO or to a MSAN. 
         [0040]    The signature may be conveyed by a line card, in particular by a MELT component or a MELT functionality. 
         [0041]    In some implementations, the MDF-switch further comprises a filter between the first port and the second port, wherein the filter is at least partially switchable via a second relay that is controlled by the control unit depending on the signature detected by the decoding element. 
         [0042]    The filter may in particular comprise at least one low-pass filter and at least one high-pass filter. 
         [0043]    Also, a system is suggested comprising:
       two or more switches, wherein each switch is configurable to connect a subscriber line to a first service line or to a second service line,   a control circuitry for controlling the two or more switches,   an MSAN comprising two or more second service lines,   wherein a dedicated service line of an MSAN is used for controlling the control circuitry.       
 
         [0048]    The MSAN (also referred to as IP installation) may be a network component comprising a high-speed network access, e.g., based on a DSL technology such as VDSL, VDSL2, SHDSL, ADSL, G.Fast, etc. It may be connected to an optical network or an aggregation network of any kind. 
         [0049]    In some implementations, the MSAN comprises a MELT functionality and/or a DSL functionality, wherein the MELT functionality and/or the DSL functionality is used for controlling and/or supplying the control circuitry via the dedicated service line. 
         [0050]    In some implementations, the two or more switches and the control circuitry are part of a cable (connection) node. 
         [0051]    The MSAN may be part of the cable node or the cable node may be part of the MSAN. As an alternative, the MSAN and the cable node may be arranged as separate entities. 
         [0052]    In some implementations, the first service line is a connection to a central office and/or wherein the second service line is a connection to a high-speed network, an IP network, an aggregation network or an optical network. 
         [0053]    Also, a method is provided for operating a network element, wherein the network element comprises at least one switch, which is configurable to connect a subscriber line to a first service line or to a second service line, the method comprising the steps:
       determining a signature conveyed across the second service line,   configuring the connection of the subscriber line to the first service line or to the second service line based on the signature.       
 
         [0056]    Also, a method for operating a system comprising two or more switches is suggested, wherein each switch is configurable to connect a subscriber line to a first service line or to a second service line, a control circuitry for controlling the two or more switches, an MSAN comprising two or more second service lines, a dedicated service line of an MSAN connecting one port of the MSAN with the control circuitry, the method comprising:
       conveying a signal via the dedicated service line;   determining a signature based on the signal;   controlling by the control circuitry the two or more switches based on the signature.       
 
         [0060]    In some implementations, the signal comprises a supply voltage for operating the control circuitry. 
         [0061]    It is noted that the steps of the method stated herein may be executable on the respective device or system. 
         [0062]    The solution provided herein further comprises a computer program product directly loadable into a memory of a digital computer, comprising software code portions for performing the steps of the method as described herein. 
         [0063]    In addition, the problem stated above is solved by a computer-readable medium, e.g., storage of any kind, having computer-executable instructions adapted to cause a computer system to perform the method as described herein. 
         [0064]    Furthermore, the problem stated above is solved by a communication system comprising at least one device as described herein. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0065]      FIG. 1  shows an example block diagram comprising visualizing various migration scenarios utilizing flexibly controlled MDF-switches in a DSLAM cabinet; 
           [0066]      FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of an MDF-switch, which comprises a port A, a port C, a port V, a latching relay, a control unit and a protection and power circuitry (also referred to as decoding element); 
           [0067]      FIG. 3  shows a block diagram of an MDF-switch, which comprises a port A, a port C, a port V, relays, an integrated POTS-splitter comprising a low-pass filter and a high-pass filter a control unit and a protection and power circuitry (also referred to as decoding element); 
           [0068]      FIG. 4  shows an example embodiment comprising a CO, a cable connection node, CPEs and an MSAN, wherein the MSAN supplies MELT functionality towards the cable connection node to drive and operate the relays. 
       
    
    
       [0069]    Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0070]    According to an example implementation, an MDF-switch (MDF: Main distribution frame) for at least one subscriber port can be plugged onto the MDF of the cabinet, e.g., a DSLAM, where the copper line from a VDSL port terminates. This can be done when the cabinet is installed or manufactured. The MDF-switch comprises three interfaces, also referred to as ports A, C and V:
   Port A: This port A is connected to an ADSL2+/PSTN subscriber line coming from the CO.   Port C: This port C is connected to the subscriber line coming from the customer premises (connected to, e.g., a CPE).   Port V: This port V is connected to the subscriber line coming from the VDSL port.   
 
         [0074]      FIG. 1  shows an example block diagram comprising a CO  101 , a DSLAM cabinet  102  and two or more customers, i.e. subscribers (CPEs)  103  to  106 . The DSLAM cabinet  102  comprises MDF-switches  109  to  111 , a multi-service access node (MSAN)  112  as well as a non-switched connection  108 . Each of the MDF-switches has the ports A, V and C as described above. The MSAN  112  is connected to an aggregation network  113 , which may be part of the CO  101  or external to the CO  101 . 
         [0075]    In this example, the customer  103  uses POTS and ADSL2+ services, which are provided by the CO  101 . The DSLAM cabinet provides the connection  108  between the CO  101  and the customer  103 . 
         [0076]    The customer  104  uses POTS only. For this customer  104 , the DSLAM cabinet provides the MDF-switch  109  with its port A connected to the CO  101 , its port C connected towards the customer  104  and its port V connected to the MSAN  112 . As indicated in  FIG. 1 , the MDF-switch  109  is controlled such that its port A is connected to its port C, hence POTS only is conveyed from the CO  101  to this customer  104 . 
         [0077]    The customer  105  uses POTS provided by the CO  101  and VDSL2 services. For this customer  105 , the MDF-switch  110  is controlled such that its port V is connected to its port C; hence VDSL services are supplied towards this customer  104 . Port A and port V can internally be connected via a low-pass filter which would allow the customer  105  to still obtain the POTS service from the CO  101 . If the customer  104  decides to use a VoIP service, the PSTN equipment in the CO  101  can be decommissioned and the connection between CO and port A can be disconnected. 
         [0078]    The last use case is shown for the example customer  106  using VDSL2 services and VoIP services. For this customer  106 , the MDF-switch  111  is controlled such that its port V is connected to its port C. No connection to the CO  101  is required for the customer  106 . 
         [0079]    In this example shown in  FIG. 1 , the physical connections from the DSLAM cabinet  102  to the various customers  103  to  106  are at least partially combined in a single cable binder  107 . 
         [0080]      FIG. 1  also indicates the following example migration options:
   (a) The customer  103  may be migrated from CO-only services to the scenario described for customer  105  or customer  106 . In such case, the permanent connection  108  can be replaced by an MDF-switch, which can be flexibly controlled as described.   (b) The customer  104  may be migrated to the scenario described for customer  105  or customer  106  by controlling the MDF-switch such that the port V is connected to the port C (see use cases for customers  105  and  106  described above).   (c) The customer  105  may be migrated to the scenario described for customer  106  by using VoIP services instead of PSTN services.   
 
         [0084]    One example use case may be as follows: When the MDF-switch is installed, port A and port C are connected with each other (this is also referred to as “rest position”). Hence, the subscriber gets the services (ADSL2+/PSTN) from the CO. When the subscriber wishes to obtain the new VDSL2 service, a VDSL2 line card sends a signal to the MDF-switch to connect its port C with its port V. The subscriber line coming from the CPE is then connected to the VDSL2 port of the DSLAM. 
         [0085]    Hence, the MDF-switch allows the operator to flexible provide services either from the CO or from the FTTN network. The MDF-switch may be controlled by a MELT controller on the VDSL line card. This bears the advantage that no external control equipment with additional wiring is required. It is also an option that the MDF-switch is controlled by VDSL line cards with integrated MELT function. Further, the MDF-switch may be small and/or it may comprise a POTS splitter. In such case, the MDF-switch can be plugged onto the VDSL port where needed. 
         [0086]    The solution presented may comprise at least one of the following further advantages:
       The MDF-switch can be controlled by the VDSL line card of a DSLAM. In such case, no additional control equipment or control wiring is required.   Existing line cards may be used; in particular, no redesign is required, a software upgrade of the line card may suffice.   The approach allows for a compact design with a built-in POTS-splitter, which is beneficial with regard to the overall space required.   Subscribers can be individually plugged onto the VDSL line via the MDF-switch; this bears the advantage of a freely and flexibly scalable solution.   A true switch-off of the subscriber line from the CO is supported; hence, no VDSL signal power degradation and central office ADSL2+ disturbance occur.   POTS service from the CO and VDSL2 service from the cabinet are supported (in case of integrated low-pass and high-pass filters).   Data only services are supported.       
 
         [0094]    It is also an option that the setting of the MDF-switch can be controlled via the PSTN or ADSL(2+) services provided by the CO. Hence, these services may be used to trigger the MDF-switch such that the port A is connected to the port C or that the port V is connected to the port C. 
         [0095]    It is also an option that configuration signals for triggering the MDF-switch can be supplied either the port A or the port V or both such ports. 
         [0096]      FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of an MDF-switch  201 , which comprises a port A, a port C, a port V, a latching relay  202 , a control unit  203  and a protection and power circuitry  204  (also referred to as decoding element). In a rest position, the port A is connected to the port C thereby connecting the CO line with a CPE, i.e. the customer gets the service provided by the CO. 
         [0097]    The port V is connected to a first input of the relay  202  and the port A is connected to a second input of the relay  202 . The output of the relay  202  is connected to the port C. The protection and power circuitry  204  is connected to the port V thereby being able to determine when predefined signals reach this port V. Such signal may be conveyed as a command or signature to the control unit  203 . The protection and power circuitry  204  comprises a protection functionality and it provides a supply voltage, e.g., 3.3V., to the control unit  203 . The control unit  203  controls the relay  202  to either connect the port A with the port C or the port V with the port C. The protection functionality may in particular comprise an overvoltage protection. 
         [0098]    If the customer wants to obtain a VDSL2 service, the line card via the port V sends a DC voltage with a predefined signature, e.g. a pulsed 800 Hz tone, to the MDF-switch  201 . This predefined signature is extracted by the protection and power circuitry  204  and conveyed to the control unit  203 . If the control unit  203  detects this signature, it switches the relay  202  to connect the port V with the port C, i.e. the VDSL2 service to the CPE. 
         [0099]    The relay  202  may be arranged such that it maintains (“latch to”) its latest switching state even without any DC voltage supplied. 
         [0100]    If the customer wants to obtain the service from the CO, the line card via the port V sends a corresponding signature to the MDF-switch  201 . The control unit  203  detects this signature and switches the relay  202  to connect the port A with the port C. If a relay is arranged to switch between two states, one signature can be used to trigger such switching. Hence, it is an option to use a single signature as a trigger for switching or two or more signatures, each associated with a switching state. It is also an option the one signature is used to trigger a change from one state to a next state. It is therefore possible that several (even more than two) switching states are selected by a single signature according to a round robin approach. 
         [0101]    The MDF-switch  201  may be controlled by any line card that is able to send the DC voltage plus a signature tone onto the subscriber line; this may include signals sent from the CO. The MDF-switch  201  may comprise a microcontroller that is able to detect an absence and/or a presence of a POTS line (from the CO). If the POTS line is interrupted, the MDF-switch  201  may be triggered to connect the port C with the port V. In order to avoid any erroneous switching, e.g., due to a temporary outage of the PTOS line, the DC plus a signature tone may in particular have a unique or unambiguously detectable signature profile in order to trigger a proper switching condition. 
         [0102]      FIG. 3  shows a block diagram of an MDF-switch  301 , which comprises a port A, a port C, a port V, a relay  302 , a relay  303 , an integrated POTS-splitter comprising a low-pass filter (LPF)  304  and a high-pass filter (HPF)  305 , a control unit  307  and a protection and power circuitry  306  (also referred to as decoding element). 
         [0103]    The switching states of the relays  302  and  303  are controlled via signals applied to the port V. Such a signal is received by the protection and power circuitry  306  and transformed into a command or signature. The protection and power circuitry  306  is also used to supply the control unit  307  with a supply voltage (e.g., 3.3V). The protection and power circuitry  306  conveys the signature detected towards the control unit  307 , which acts according to this signature. Hence, the signature is used to encode an instruction as how the control unit  307  should control the relays  302  and  303 . Different instructions for different switching states can be conveyed as different signatures. Each signature can be encodes as a modulated signal that is applied on top of the signals obtained via the port V. For example, a predefined frequency or frequency range can be used for the modulated signal. This frequency or frequency can then be filtered out by the protection and power circuitry  306  to detect whether a signature can be found for controlling any of the relays  302  or  303 . 
         [0104]    The relay  303  is used to switch the HPF  305  on or off and the relay  302  is used to either connect the port A with the port C or the port V with the port C. The port V is connected to a first input of the relay  303  and the port V is connected via the HPF  305  to a second input of the relay  303 . The output of the relay  303  is connected to a first input of the relay  302  and the output of the relay  303  is connected via the LPF  304  to a second input of the relay  302 . The second input of the relay  302  is also connected to the port A. The output of the relay  302  is connected to the port C. 
         [0105]    The input of the protection and power circuitry  306  is connected to the port V and one of its outputs conveys the detected signature (or command) towards the control unit  307 , the other of its outputs coveys the supply voltage to the control unit  307 . 
         [0106]    The outputs of the control unit  307  control the switching states of the relay  302  and the relay  303 . 
         [0107]    It is noted that each of the ports and thus each connection to the ports or any of the components of the MDF-switch may comprise two physical wires, which are also referred to as wires a and b. 
         [0108]    The HPF  305  is bypassed when the port C is connected to the port V, i.e., in case the CPE is connected to VDSL2, to enable MELT of the subscriber line. In this scenario, the relay  303  is switched to connect its first input (without the HPF) to its output and the relay  302  is switched to connect its first input to its output. 
         [0109]    This solution enables the customer at the port C to obtain the VDSL service via the port V from the cabinet. Due to the connection of the port A to the first input of the relay  302  (and the output of the relay  303 ) via the LPF  304 , however, the customer at the port C may still obtain the POTS via the port A from the CO. This gives the operator the flexibility to either provide the POTS from the CO or by VoIP to the customer at the port C. 
         [0110]    It is noted that the relay  303  may be switched to connect its second input with its output (i.e. utilizing the HPF  305 ) in case the relay  302  is switched such that its second input is connected to its output (i.e. connecting the port A to the port C). The combination of LPF  304  and HPF  305  in the path between the port A and the port V avoids disturbances affecting the connection between ports A and V. 
       Controlling Cable Node 
       [0111]    An example is directed to use IP-only equipment for a remote switchover of POTS connections to IP-only connections. 
         [0112]    The POTS to IP-only switchover can be made by a relay inside a cable node. According to an example, the control circuit for this relay may be connected to and operated by the IP-only equipment. 
         [0113]    State-of-the-art telecommunication equipment used by the telecommunication companies offers measuring functionalities for two-wire copper connections. This is provided in parallel to the DSL functionality and can work during a synchronized connection. It is possible to measure resistances, capacitances and other values as well as generate a current for sanity purposes. To provide these functionalities the measuring circuit generates positive and negative DC voltages (e.g. +60V/−60V). These voltages (and currents) may be used for other purposes. 
         [0114]    Network operators have their net equipment spread over a large area and there is a mix of “older” and “newer” connection technologies. It is a requirement to switch a customer from POTS (old) equipment to IP-only (new) equipment. This however, should preferably be done quickly and as flexibly as possible without incurring high costs, which may in particular stem from the fact that a technician has to appear on site and manually perform the task of locally patching lines at the cable connection point. This is in particular tricky as usually not all customers connected to that connection point want to switch at the same time; hence, the appearance on site would be required more than once, which further increases the costs for such migration. 
         [0115]    According to an example implementation, a remote switchover function is provided to allow for the operator to cost-efficiently, quickly and flexibly adjust the migration of the customers to various services. The example uses available hardware and wiring and provides an additional switching component. 
         [0116]    The MELT and DSL circuits can be used to control switchover relays at the cable node. 
         [0117]    In an example implementation, a single port of an IP-only service providing equipment may be utilized for this purpose: This particular port may preferably not have a connection to a customer; however it is also an option that this port is actually connected to a customer. 
         [0118]    The MELT circuit may provide power for the switchover circuit and can be used to transmit instructions indicating which port has to be switched. The DSL circuit may be used in addition for enhanced communication capabilities. 
         [0119]    Hence, such approach bears the advantage that a MELT functionality can be used to power a distant switchover circuit and to send switchover messages (unidirectional). In addition, the DSL functionality may be used to send and receive switchover messages (bidirectional). 
         [0120]      FIG. 4  shows an example implementation comprising a CO  401 , a cable connection node  402 , CPEs  403  to  406  and an MSAN  407 . The MSAN  407  may be arranged inside the cable connection node  402  or separate to it; it may be deployed at a distance from, e.g., 0.5 m to 400 m from the cable connection node  402 . 
         [0121]    The cable connection node  402  is equipped with a manual switching matrix to perform the service switch-over by placing connectors. The switching can be controlled remotely via latching relays  409  to  412 , each of which connects a CPE either to the CO  401  or to the MSAN  407 . The MSAN may  407  may be an installation that provides IP services, e.g., via VDSL2. 
         [0122]    A control circuitry  408  (relay control circuitry) may be connected to each of the relays  409  to  412 . If no additional power supply unit is to be provided in the cable connection node  402 , the control circuitry  408  can be powered externally via the MSAN  407 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , a single port  413  of the MSAN  407  can be used to provide power and control information to the control circuitry  408  of the cable connection node  402 . Hence, the power and control information can be supplied utilizing the MELT functionality of the MSAN  407 . 
         [0123]    The information required for switching any of the relays  409  to  412  is hence transmitted from the MSAN  407  via said port  413 . A signature or any modulation may be used to convey such information from the MSAN  407  to the control circuitry  408 . 
         [0124]    It is an option to remove the control circuitry  408  if it is no longer required; this may free the port  413  which may then be used to convey payload to the customer. 
         [0125]    It is also an option to convey information for switching the relays  409  to  412  via the DSL functionality (instead of the MELT functionality). In such scenario, the MELT functionality may be used for conveying power from the MSAN  407  to the control circuitry  408 . 
         [0126]    Another option may be to provide a (separate) power supply for the relays  409  to  412  and the control circuitry  408 . This power supply may be added to the cable connection node  402 . In such case, the MELT functionality may be used for conveying information for switching the relays  409  to  412  from the MSAN  407  to the control circuitry  408 . 
         [0127]    The solution described may in particular be utilized for a task where a remote command refers to a hardware switching functionality, e.g., to switch power on/off for a special device or to lock/unlock secured equipment. 
         [0128]    Although various embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made which will achieve some of the advantages of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It will be obvious to those reasonably skilled in the art that other components performing the same functions may be suitably substituted. It should be mentioned that features explained with reference to a specific figure may be combined with features of other figures, even in those cases in which this has not explicitly been mentioned. Further, the methods of the invention may be achieved in either all software implementations, using the appropriate processor instructions, or in hybrid implementations that utilize a combination of hardware logic and software logic to achieve the same results. Such modifications to the inventive concept are intended to be covered by the appended claims. 
       LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 
       [0000]    
       
         ADSL Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line 
         AMDF Automatic Main Distribution Frame 
         CO Central Office 
         CPE Customer Premise Equipment 
         DC Direct Current 
         DSL Digital Subscriber Line 
         DSLAM DSL Access Multiplexer 
         EBM Enhanced Broadband Migration 
         FTTC Fiber To The Curb 
         FTTN Fiber To The Node 
         HPF High Pass Filter 
         LPF Low Pass Filter 
         MDF Main Distribution Frame 
         MELT Metallic Ended Line Test 
         MSAN Multi Service Access Node 
         POTS Plain Old Telephone Service 
         PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network 
         VDSL Very High Digital Subscriber Line 
         VDSL2 Very High Digital Subscriber Line 2 (2nd Generation) 
         VoIP Voice over IP