Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus in a telecommunication system for activation of means from idling state to active state. The system includes a digital subscriber connection in which there is included a line terminal (LT) assigned to the station side of the system, a network terminal (NT) assigned to the subscriber installation and one or more subscriber terminals (ST). The line terminal is connected to a central clock pulse oscillator (master oscillator) (MCL) on the station side, the network terminal and subscriber terminals containing local clock pulse oscillators (slave oscillators) (CL). In activation from the subscriber side, a subscriber terminal (ST) sends an activation request (AR) in the form of a bit pattern sent in bursts to the network terminal (NT) via a TDM bus line (BL). The network terminal sends the activation request (AR) to the line terminal (LT), in the form of a continuously sent, cyclic bit pattern.