Patent ID: 7577137

Claim:
A method for distributing a multicast stream within a hybrid PPPoE/IPoE broadband access network, said method comprising the steps of: snooping, at a DSLAM, an IGMP message encapsulated in PPPoE which was issued by a multicast device that is used by an end-user who is requesting to receive the multicast stream; duplicating, at said DSLAM, the IGMP message; forwarding, from said DSLAM, the IGMP message encapsulated in PPPoE towards a BRAS; forwarding, from said DSLAM, the duplicated IGMP message encapsulated in IPoE towards at least one Ethernet switch; wherein said at least one Ethernet switch does not snoop the IGMP message encapsulated in PPPoE; and wherein said at least one Ethernet switch snoops the duplicated IGMP message encapsulated in IPoE and forms forwarding rules for distributing the multicast stream such that when a multimedia server issues the multicast stream to a multicast router which in turn forwards the multicast stream towards the at least one Ethernet switch then the at least one Ethernet switch will forward the multicast stream only on links directed towards said DSLAM which forwards the multicast stream to the multicast device used by said end-user.