Patent ID: 7171122

Claim:
An optical fiber system, comprising: a long-haul optical fiber disposed between a first long-haul node and a second long-haul node; a regional optical fiber disposed between said first long-haul node and said second long-haul node and having a regional access point at a hut disposed between said first long-haul node and said second long-haul node; an access optical fiber disposed between said first long-haul node and said second long-haul node and having a local access point at said hut and at a point between said hut and said first long-haul node; wherein each of said long-haul optical fiber, said regional optical fiber, and said access optical fiber are generally accessible at said first long-haul node and said second long-haul node; wherein said regional optical fiber is generally accessible at said hut; wherein said access optical fiber is coupleable to a customer premises equipment (CPE) at said point between said hut and said first long-haul node; and wherein said access optical fiber and said regional optical fiber are coupled to different ports of a switch at said hut.