An apparatus (190, 240) comprising: a first ring interface to be operatively coupled to subscriber premises (166, 168, 176, 178, 186, 188) on a local ring communication network (160, 170, 180); a second ring interface to be operatively coupled to the subscriber premises on the local ring communication network; a ring traffic processor (200, 250, 252), operatively coupled to the first and second ring interfaces, operable to transmit and receive communication traffic in the local ring communication network through the first and second ring interfaces; a first bonding interface (192, 242) that terminates multiple first twisted pairs, adapted to bond the multiple first twisted pairs together to form a first bonded link as a first single logical path, and to enable communications over the first bonded link using first frequency bands that are available on the multiple first twisted pairs; a second bonding interface (196, 246) that terminates multiple second twisted pairs, adapted to bond the multiple second twisted pairs together to form a second bonded link as a second single logical path, and to enable communications over the second bonded link using second frequency bands that are available on the multiple second twisted pairs; and a cross-connect module (194, 244) operatively coupled to the first bonding interface, to the second bonding interface, and to the ring traffic processor, the cross-connect module being operable to receive communication traffic, to determine whether the received communication traffic is to be forwarded to one or more of the ring traffic processor, the first bonding interface, and the second bonding interface, and to forward the received communication traffic in accordance with the determination. a first ring interface to be operatively coupled to subscriber premises (166, 168, 176, 178, 186, 188) on a local ring communication network (160, 170, 180); a second ring interface to be operatively coupled to the subscriber premises on the local ring communication network; a ring traffic processor (200, 250, 252), operatively coupled to the first and second ring interfaces, operable to transmit and receive communication traffic in the local ring communication network through the first and second ring interfaces; a first bonding interface (192, 242) that terminates multiple first twisted pairs, adapted to bond the multiple first twisted pairs together to form a first bonded link as a first single logical path, and to enable communications over the first bonded link using first frequency bands that are available on the multiple first twisted pairs; a second bonding interface (196, 246) that terminates multiple second twisted pairs, adapted to bond the multiple second twisted pairs together to form a second bonded link as a second single logical path, and to enable communications over the second bonded link using second frequency bands that are available on the multiple second twisted pairs; and a cross-connect module (194, 244) operatively coupled to the first bonding interface, to the second bonding interface, and to the ring traffic processor, the cross-connect module being operable to receive communication traffic, to determine whether the received communication traffic is to be forwarded to one or more of the ring traffic processor, the first bonding interface, and the second bonding interface, and to forward the received communication traffic in accordance with the determination.