Patent ID: 8576877

Claim:
A broadband digital loop carrier (BBDLC) for distributing communications signals to customers of a service provider, said BBDLC comprising: a multi-service access platform unit including a backplane having slots for electronic cards, wherein the multi-service access platform unit is configured to operate with only high-bandwidth communications cards; and a line termination unit in communication with the multi-service access platform unit, the line termination unit having slots configured to operate with only low-bandwidth communications cards, the low-bandwidth cards in the line termination unit operating at a lower bandwidth than the high-bandwidth communications cards in the multi-service access platform unit, the line termination unit operable to multiplex communications received from the low-bandwidth communications cards and communicate the multiplexed communications to the multi-service access platform unit, wherein the configuration of the slots to operate with the low-bandwidth and high-bandwidth communications cards allows the multi-service access platform unit to increase utilization of the bandwidth available to the multi-service access platform unit.