Abstract: In order to provide DSL service to more subscribers, at least part of the DSLAM is provided at a location, e.g. an outside plant interface unit (16), that is intermediate the subscriber premises (101, . . . 10N) and the central office (13) housing the remainder of the DSLAM. An optical fiber conveys signals between the two parts of the DSLAM, thus reducing the length of the twisted-wire portion of the subscriber loop. To reduce complexity and equipment costs, access apparatus for connecting a plurality of DSL lines to a data network (28) comprises a plurality of interface units connected to a plurality of DSL lines, respectively, for converting high frequency analog signals to digital signals, or vice versa; at least one digital signal processor (DSP) modem (30) for processing the digital signals and routing the processed signals to the data network, and for processing signals from the data network and supplying the resulting digital signals to the interface units, respectively.