Patent ID: 8345560

Claim:
A method comprising: sensing service activity status for a first loop and a second loop; configuring a first remote network demarcation associated with a first customer premises and with the first loop to a loop-back state when an inactive status associated with the service on the first loop is sensed; interrogating the first loop to determine a first parameter representative of the first loop when the inactive status is sensed, and preventing interrogation of the first loop when the service activity status indicates activity; configuring a second remote network demarcation associated with a second customer premises and with the second loop to the loop-back state when an inactive status associated with the service on the second loop is sensed; interrogating the second loop to determine a second parameter representative of the second loop, and preventing interrogation of the second loop when the service activity status indicates activity; and compiling a report based on the first and second parameters, the report containing a value representing an indication of a communication service ability to be provided to a user community.