Patent ID: 8918498

Claim:
A method of operating an access network including a plurality of data connections between end user devices and an aggregation transceiver device where the connections are aggregated for onward connection through the access network, the method comprising: storing a plurality of Dynamic Line Management, DLM, profiles, each of which specifies a set of values for a plurality of parameters associated with the data connections; storing a plurality of stability policies each of which specifies a stability level which in turn specifies, a desired level of stability for a data connection and a number of errors or resynchronisations per unit of time detected on a data connection which causes the data connection to be transitioned from one DLM profile to another; associating a stability policy with each data connection; for each data connection, monitoring the connection for the occurrence of errors or resynchronisations; selecting one of said stored DLM profiles to be applied to the connection in dependence on both the results of monitoring the connection and the stability level associated with the data connection; and applying the selected profile to the data connection; wherein selecting one of said stored DLM profiles to be applied to the connection includes transitioning to a different DLM profile in the event that the number of detected errors or re-synchronisations per unit of time crosses a threshold and wherein the stability policies control the circumstances under which a connection is transitioned between different profiles such that different thresholds apply to different stability policies.