Subscriber equipment muting method and apparatus

An apparatus for muting communications subscriber equipment connected to a communications line, the apparatus including:

• a) a monitoring circuit for monitoring electrical conditions of said communications line, when said subscriber equipment is connected to said communication line;
• b) a disconnection circuit for disconnecting said subscriber equipment from said communication line;
• c) a termination circuit for terminating said communications line with a dummy termination when said subscriber equipment is disconnected, such that, said communications line appears to be terminated by said subscriber equipment;
• d) a power supply circuit for providing to said subscriber equipment said communications line electrical conditions as determined by said monitoring circuit prior to disconnecting said subscriber equipment from said communications line, when said subscriber equipment is disconnected from said communications line.