Patent Document ID: 8139657
Application ID: 13070863
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A system to provide communications over a hybrid communications network to a plurality of geographically separately located facilities, each having a pre-existing network of conventional twisted pair wire, the system comprising: a hybrid communications network to provide a network connection between a point of presence for a service provider and each of a first plurality of facilities over a corresponding first plurality of unshielded twisted pair wires defining a first plurality of twisted pair links extending between the point of presence and the corresponding first plurality of facilities, each facility of the first plurality of facilities including central premises equipment configured to receive and transmit data over an associated dedicated one of the first plurality of twisted pair links connected between the first plurality of facilities and the point of presence and configured to receive and transmit data over on-premises twisted pair wire pre-existing within the respective facility, the point of presence located remotely from each of the first plurality of facilities and including point of presence equipment configured to receive and transmit data over each of the plurality of dedicated twisted pair links, a distance between the point of presence and each separate one of the first plurality of facilities being within a preselected range; a network connection positioned between the point of presence and each of a second plurality of facilities; and a plurality of hybrid links corresponding to each of the second plurality of facilities and extending between the point of presence and the corresponding second plurality of facilities, each hybrid link comprising one of a second plurality of twisted pair links and one of a plurality of alternative communication links including one or more of the following: an adaptive network link and an optical network link, and including twisted pair link-to-adaptive network link connection equipment defining a respective intermediate connection node, each facility of the second plurality of facilities including central premises equipment configured to receive and transmit data over an associated dedicated one of the plurality of hybrid links connected between the second plurality of facilities and the point of presence, and configured to receive and transmit data over on-premises twisted pair wire pre-existing within the respective facility, the point of presence located remotely from each of the second plurality of facilities and including point of presence equipment configured to receive and transmit data over each of the plurality of dedicated hybrid links, a distance between the point of presence and each separate one of the second plurality of facilities substantially exceeding the preselected range.