System and method for a subscriber-powered network element

A subscriber terminal for use in a wide area network (WAN), wherein the WAN is disposed to have a network element coupled to the subscriber terminal with a twisted wire pair or a coax cable and wherein the subscriber terminal is disposed to use a low frequency band and a high frequency band across the twisted wire pair or coax cable, the subscriber terminal comprising:

• a power source that is disposed to produce a detection current with a first current and a first voltage and the power source is disposed to produce an electrical power with a second current and a second voltage for transmission across the twist wire pair or coax cable, wherein the detection current and the electrical power are for transmission in the low frequency band and wherein the low frequency band is at a lower frequency than the high frequency band;
• at least one WAN communication device that is disposed to transmit and receive data communications with the network element with the high frequency band, wherein the high frequency band is at a higher frequency than the low frequency band;
• at least one electrical coupling device that is electrically coupled to the power source and is electrically coupled to the at least one WAN communication device, wherein the at least one electrical coupling device couples the detection current onto the twisted wire pair or coax cable for detection of a predetermined load across the twisted wire pair or coax cable, wherein the at least one electrical coupling device couples the electrical power onto the twisted wire pair or coax cable responsive to detection of the predetermined load, wherein the predetermined load indicates the network element is coupled to the twisted wire pair or coax cable, and wherein the at least one electrical coupling device is disposed to couple the transmit and receive data communications of the at least one WAN communication device onto the twisted wire pair or coax cable;
• and
• at least one WAN port that is electrically coupled to the at least one electrical coupling device and is disposed to couple to the twisted wire pair or coax cable, and wherein the subscriber terminal measures the electrical power coupled to the twisted wire pair or coax cable.