Patent ID: 6853647

Claim:
A telecommunication network for providing high speed remote access from a plurality of locations to a plurality of remote targets, wherein each of said plurality of locations is connected to a central office by a local loop, said telecommunication network comprising: an access multiplexor having a plurality of ISDN digital subscriber loop (IDSL) interfaces for interfacing with any of a plurality of local loops connecting said plurality of locations to central office using an IDSL technology, said IDSL technology supporting a bandwidth of 128 Kbps or 144 Kbps, said access multiplexor having a plurality of another interfaces for interfacing with at least some of said local loops using another DSL technology, wherein said another DSL technology supports a bandwidth greater than 128 Kbps or 144 Kbps, said plurality of IDSL interfaces and said plurality of another interfaces being designed to receive a plurality of packets from said plurality of locations on said plurality of local loops, each of said plurality of packets being destined to one of said plurality of remote targets; and a data switch coupled to said one of said plurality of remote targets by a bandwidth pipe, said data switch receiving said plurality of packets from said access multiplexor and delivering the data bits in said plurality of packets to said one of said plurality of remote targets using said bandwidth pipe irrespective of whether each of said plurality of packets is received on one of said IDSL interfaces or one of said another interfaces, wherein said plurality of IDSL interfaces allows said telecommunication network to provide a minimum bandwidth of 128 Kbps or 144 Kbps to any of said plurality of locations, and said plurality of another interfaces enables said telecommunication network to provide higher bandwidth to some locations.