Method and apparatus for providing electrical power to a broadband digital subscriber line access

A remote device configured to provide a broadband service to a plurality of customer premises equipment via a plurality of telephone lines, the remote device comprising:

• a circuit operative to provide broadband service to said plurality of customer premises equipment via said plurality of telephone lines;
• and
• a circuit operative to regulate an amount of power drawn from a single customer premises equipment based on a number of customer premises equipment connected to the remote device and to draw via respective telephone lines power from each customer premises equipment connected the remote device to match electrical power requirements of the remote device.

A method in a customer premises equipment providing a broadband service, the method comprising:

• receiving a broadband service from a remote device via a telephone line, wherein the customer premises equipment is configured to connect electrical power from a power circuit to the telephone line;
• and
• providing an amount of the electrical power to the remote device via the telephone line, which amount of the electrical power drawn from the customer premises equipment is based on a number of customer premises equipment connected to the remote device and electrical power requirements of the remote device.