Abstract: Subscriber line maintenance apparatus and methods are disclosed. A maintenance operation is performed on a subscriber line in a communication system by an embedded test unit. The test unit limits an effect of the maintenance operation on communication signals that are transferred on the subscriber line during the maintenance operation. In one embodiment, the communication signals are high-frequency signals, and the limiting is achieved by performing the maintenance operation through a low-pass filter, such as the low pass filter of a Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) splitter. The test unit may be implemented as a daughter card carried by another electronic circuit card in a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM), for example, so that the test unit does not occupy its own card slot in an equipment shelf. One, or more than one, test unit may be provided to serve multiple equipment shelves in a distributed communication equipment architecture.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for establishing a data transmission rate in a communication network for data transmission from a first communication module to a second communication module. Generally, the method comprises: (a) reading at the first module a predetermined data reception rate limit of the second module; and (b) for the data at the first module to be transmitted to the second module, establishing a first module data transmission rate in dependence upon the predetermined data reception rate limit read in step (a).

Abstract: There is a disclosed communications network for the transmission of network traffic from a distribution network to an access network having at least one end user terminal. The distribution network and the access network each having a respective traffic transmission capacity with the traffic transmission capacity of the distribution network being greater than the traffic transmission capacity of the access network. The communications network has a first network device operatively connected to the distribution network. The first network apparatus is capable of receiving network traffic from the distribution network. The communications network also has a second network device operatively connected to the access network. The second network device is capable of transmitting network traffic to the access network. The communications network also has a transmission link operatively connected between the first network device and the second network device.

Abstract: There is a disclosed communications network for the transmission of network traffic from a distribution network to an access network having at least one end user terminal. The distribution network and the access network each having a respective traffic transmission capacity with the traffic transmission capacity of the distribution network being greater than the traffic transmission capacity of the access network. The communications network has a first network device operatively connected to the distribution network. The first network apparatus is capable of receiving network traffic from the distribution network. The communications network also has a second network device operatively connected to the access network. The second network device is capable of transmitting network traffic to the access network. The communications network also has a transmission link operatively connected between the first network device and the second network device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for establishing a data transmission rate in a communication network for data transmission from a first communication module to a second communication module. Generally, the method comprises: (a) reading at the first module a predetermined data reception rate limit of the second module; and (b) for the data at the first module to be transmitted to the second module, establishing a first module data transmission rate in dependence upon the predetermined data reception rate limit read in step (a).