Device and method for configuring a voice channel in fttdp

A Distribution Point Unit (DPU) for facilitating communication of voice configuration data between an Element Management System configured for a Fibre to the Home network (FTTH EMS) and one or more ATA modules within a Fibre to the Distribution Point (FTTdp) network, the DPU comprising:

• an optical network controller configured for data communication with an optical network via an optical port;
• an electrical network controller comprising one or more of electrical ports for data communication, each electrical port configured for coupling to a separate electrical line, wherein said data communication, for each electrical port, is with a corresponding Network Termination Device (NTD) associated with the particular electrical line;
• a memory;
• and
• a processor operably interfaced with the optical network controller, the electrical network controller, and the memory, wherein the processor is configured to:
• undertake data communication with the FTTH EMS via the optical port according to an FTTH control protocol, wherein the processor is configured to present, to the FTTH EMS, the DPU as an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) of a FTTH network, wherein the processor maintains in the memory one or more of virtual voice ports, wherein each virtual voice port is mappable to one of the electrical ports, and wherein the processor informs the FTTH EMS, via the FTTH control protocol, that it has a distinct voice port for each of its virtual voice ports;
• maintain a mapping between the virtual voice ports and the electrical ports;
• receive a voice configuration message and a corresponding voice port identifier according to the FTTH control protocol and identify the corresponding virtual voice port;
• determine a particular one of the electrical ports associated with the identified virtual voice port according to the mapping;
• and
• communicate the voice configuration message to the NTD associated with the determined electrical port.