A method for electrically powering a network element (110, 500) for a wide area network in which the network element is disposed to communicate over one or more optical fibers with a service provider and the network element is disposed to communicate over one or more electrical wire pairs or cables coupled respectively to one or more subscriber terminals, the method for electrically powering the network element from a subscriber terminal over the same electrical wire pair or cable used for communications comprising of: (a) applying a predetermined load to an electrical port of the network element for the purpose of being detectable by the subscriber terminal using a low-level detection current; (b) applying the low-level detection current by a subscriber terminal across the electrical wire pair or cable sufficient to detect the predetermined load across the electrical wire pair or cable; (c) applying an electrical power having additional current and/or voltage than the low level detection current from the subscriber terminal across the electrical wire pair or cable to the network terminal after sensing the predetermined load of the network element from the applied low-level detection current; (d) transmitting an electrical data communication signal to the network element through the electrical wire pair or cable from the subscriber terminal; (e) receiving at the network element the electrical power through the electrical wire pair or cable; (f) receiving at the network element the electrical data communication signal through the electrical wire pair or cable; (g) aggregating at the network element one or more electrical data communication signals from one or more subscriber terminals as an aggregated data communication signal; (h) transmitting the aggregated data communication signal optically through an optical port of the network element to the service provider over a coupled optical fiber; (i) providing at the network element the electrical power to a power converter; and (j) converting at the network element by the power converter the electrical power for use by the network element. (a) applying a predetermined load to an electrical port of the network element for the purpose of being detectable by the subscriber terminal using a low-level detection current; (b) applying the low-level detection current by a subscriber terminal across the electrical wire pair or cable sufficient to detect the predetermined load across the electrical wire pair or cable; (c) applying an electrical power having additional current and/or voltage than the low level detection current from the subscriber terminal across the electrical wire pair or cable to the network terminal after sensing the predetermined load of the network element from the applied low-level detection current; (d) transmitting an electrical data communication signal to the network element through the electrical wire pair or cable from the subscriber terminal; (e) receiving at the network element the electrical power through the electrical wire pair or cable; (f) receiving at the network element the electrical data communication signal through the electrical wire pair or cable; (g) aggregating at the network element one or more electrical data communication signals from one or more subscriber terminals as an aggregated data communication signal; (h) transmitting the aggregated data communication signal optically through an optical port of the network element to the service provider over a coupled optical fiber; (i) providing at the network element the electrical power to a power converter; and (j) converting at the network element by the power converter the electrical power for use by the network element.