Patent ID: 6963579

Claim:
A self-contained data communication system of the type providing simultaneous broadband connectivity to multiple access locations at DSL rates, the system configured for installation in a user premises having multiple subscriber access location ports, the system comprising: a multiplicity of subscriber data signal lines, each subscriber line coupled between the system and a subscriber port of a user premises; a plurality of line cards, disposed within a housing, each line card further including; a DSL modem bank; and detector circuitry coupled between the modem bank and the multiplicity of subscriber signal lines, the detector circuitry polling the signal lines to thereby detect a request for data service; a control processor, the processor assigning a particular one of the DSL modems comprising the modem bank to a subscriber upon detection of a request for data service on a particular subscriber signal line; a WAN/trunk card, disposed within the housing and coupled to the plurality of line cards by a signal bus, the WAN/trunk card connected between each modem bank and a wide area network so as to effect bi-directional broadband communication therebetween; in-band authentication means for communicating with a remote record storage facility; a memory storage area configured to receive and maintain subscriber record information provided by the remote record storage facility; and wherein access to a broadband connection to the wide area network is granted in accordance with subscriber record information maintained in the memory storage area; and wherein the remote record storage facility comprises a plurality of authentication servers, each authentication server disposed within and servicing a particular geographic area, each authentication server receiving individual subscriber profile information from DSL service providers within the geographic region and storing said individual subscriber profile information in a respective database.