Patent ID: 7454006

Claim:
A system for allowing a plurality of telecommunication information providers to transmit telecommunication information to a customer premises, the system comprising: a network interface device at the customer premises operable to receive telecommunication information; an external transport medium in communication with the network interface device; a distribution point configured to: accept a plurality of sets of telecommunication information, wherein the plurality of sets of telecommunication information comprises a set of video information, a set of data information, and a set of voice information from a plurality of telecommunication information providers; and transmit the plurality of sets of telecommunication information to the network interface device via the external transport medium; wherein the plurality of providers comprises a first provider providing the set of video information, a second provider providing the set of data information, and a third provider providing the set of voice information; wherein the network interface device comprises a discrimination device capable of separating a first of the plurality of sets of telecommunication information from at least a second of the plurality of sets of telecommunication information; an isolation device configured to isolate at least one internal transport medium from the external transport medium, such that changes to a type of media used by the at least one internal transport medium do not affect the external transport medium and changes to a type of media used by the external transport medium do not affect the at least one internal transport medium; a first interface in communication with the external transport medium, wherein the external transport medium is in communication with the distribution point; a second interface adapted to communicate with the at least one internal transport medium; a plurality of control points, wherein each of the plurality of control points is associated with a different telecommunication information provider; wherein the network interface device is adapted to receive configuration information from at least one of the plurality of control points; wherein the at least one control point is associated with the distribution point; and wherein the control point is capable of receiving the configuration information from the plurality of telecommunication information providers and forwarding the configuration information to the network interface device.