Auxiliary circuit switching for provisioning and/or repair in a fiber-to-the-curb system

A communication network comprising:

• a central office switching system;
• an optical fiber communication link providing a plurality of two-way communication channels to the central office switching system;
• wire circuits running to a plurality of respective customer premises;
• an optical network unit coupled to the optical fiber communication link providing an interface between the two-way communication channels on the optical fiber communication link and the wire circuits;
• and
• a switchable network interface device on one of the customer premises, wherein:
• said switchable network interface device connects to at least one customer premises wiring circuit and to a primary wire circuit and an auxiliary wire circuit running from the optical network unit,
• said switchable network interface device comprises a switch providing selective connection of the at least one customer premises wiring circuit to the primary and auxiliary wire circuits, and
• said switchable network interface device further comprises a controller responsive to switching control signals received via at least one of the primary and auxiliary wire circuits for controlling the switch, and
• wherein the central office switching system includes a switching signal source providing said control signals.

A communication network comprising:

• a central office switching system;
• an optical fiber communication link providing a plurality of two-way communication channels to the central office switching system;
• wire circuits running to a plurality of respective customer premises;
• an optical network unit coupled to the optical fiber communication link providing an interface between the two-way communication channels on the optical fiber communication link and the wire circuits;
• and
• a switchable network interface device on one of the customer premises, wherein:
• said switchable network interface device connects to at least one customer premises wiring circuit and to a primary wire circuit and an auxiliary wire circuit running from the optical network unit, and
• said switchable network interface device comprises a switch providing selective connection of the at least one customer premises wiring circuit to the primary and auxiliary wire circuits;
• wherein the optical network unit comprises means for selectively activating communication between two-way communication channels on the optical fiber communication link and the primary and auxiliary wire circuits;
• and
• further comprising an operations control center in communication with the optical network unit for controlling the selective activation.

A switchable network interface device comprising:

• a customer side coupler for connection to customer premises wiring circuitry;
• a network side coupler for connection to primary and auxiliary lines running from a communication network;
• and
• a switch connected between the customer side coupler and the network side coupler, said switch capable of providing selective connection of the customer premises wiring circuitry to one of the primary and auxiliary lines and of the customer premises wiring to both of the primary and auxiliary lines, said selective connection made in response to switching control signals received from the network.

A switchable network interface device, comprising:

• a customer side coupler for connection to a customer premises wiring circuit;
• a network side coupler for connection to primary and auxiliary lines running in a bundled cable drop from a communication network;
• and
• a switch connected between the customer side coupler and the network side coupler for providing selective connection of the customer premises wiring circuit to the primary and auxiliary lines;
• a controller responsive to a first control signal received via the network side coupler for controlling the switch to couple the primary line to the customer premises wiring circuit and responsive to a second control signal received via the network side coupler for controlling the switch to couple the auxiliary line to the customer premises wiring circuit.

A method of automatic restoration of communication service, comprising the steps of:

• providing a bundled cable drop including a primary telephone line and an auxiliary telephone line from a communication network node to a customer premise;
• connecting customer premises wiring to the primary telephone line;
• identifying a need for restoration of communication service from the network node to the customer premises wiring;
• automatically activating service on the auxiliary communication circuit in response to said identifying step;
• and
• automatically switching the connection of the customer premises wiring over to the auxiliary telephone line.

A method comprising the steps of:

• providing a bundled cable drop including a primary telephone line and an auxiliary telephone line from a communication network node to a customer premises;
• connecting a first customer premises wiring circuit through a switch to the primary telephone line;
• providing a first service to the customer premises via the primary telephone line;
• receiving a request for a second telephone line;
• automatically activating service on the auxiliary communication telephone line;
• automatically connecting the auxiliary circuit through the switch in response to said receiving step;
• and
• providing the second service to the customer premises via the auxiliary telephone line.