Patent ID: 7158614

Claim:
A connection architecture for an xDSL network with a metal port, the architecture comprising: a switching exchange electrically connected to a terminal of an intermediate distribution frame via a terminal block of a horizontal distribution frame, the intermediate distribution frame being configured to provide a voice signal to a filter and/or a splitter and a DSLAM, wherein the DSLAM is configured to receive an xDSL signal from a network and the filter and/or splitter is or are configured to provide a combined voice and xDSL signal to the intermediate distribution frame; a terminal block of a vertical distribution frame configured to receive the combined voice and data signal from the intermediate distribution frame and to transmit the combined signal to a separation filter, the separation filter being configured to output a voice signal and a data signal, the intermediate distribution frame or the terminal block of the vertical distribution frame comprising a connection element that includes cut-off and test contacts; wherein a metal port block disposed on the connection element of the vertical or horizontal distribution frame is configured to obtain a signal from the metal port to be conveyed to a test rack without disconnecting the filter and/or splitter.