Lifeline telephony provision for voice over digital subscriber line

A method of operating line terminating equipment in a voice over digital subscriber line (VoDSL) system in which the line terminating equipment is coupled via a subscriber loop to customer premises equipment having a subscriber loop port coupled via a VoDSL modem to a local telephony port so as to provide the customer with a lifeline voice service in the event of a customer premises equipment power supply failure, the method comprising the steps of:

• sending and receiving digital subscriber signals over the subscriber loop via the subscriber loop port;
• receiving an indication from the customer premises equipment of a power supply failure and a reconfiguration of that customer premises equipment to operate in an analogue telephony mode by providing a direct connection between said local telephony port and said subscriber loop port and, in response thereto, reconfiguring the line termination equipment as an analogue voice telephony interface and providing electrical power to the subscriber loop for operation of the customer premises equipment so as to maintain at least a voice service to the customer.

A line terminating equipment for use in a voice over digital subscriber line (VoDSL) system in which the line terminating equipment is coupled via a subscriber loop to customer premises equipment having a subscriber loop port coupled via a VoDSL modem to a local telephony port so as to provide the customer with a lifeline voice service in the event of a customer premises equipment power supply failure, the line terminating equipment comprising a subscriber loop port for coupling to the subscriber loop, a network connection port;

• a voice-over digital subscriber loop modem circuit;
• and a direct electrical connection circuit;
• the equipment being arranged to operate in a first mode wherein a telecommunications connection is maintained between said subscriber loop port and said network connection port via said voice-over digital subscriber loop modem, and in a second mode wherein said modem is reconfigured to function as an analogue telephony line card so as to provide, in the event of a customer premises power failure, at least a voice service to the customer.