Apparatus for providing a plurality of providers of subscriber service signals with easy access to at least one subscriber premises line

Apparatus for connecting a subscriber premises line to either a first incoming service line from a first service provider or a second incoming service line from a second service provider, comprising:

• a housing having a subscriber compartment, an interconnecting compartment, a first provider compartment, and a second provider compartment;
• a first connector in said subscriber compartment electrically connected to said subscriber premises line;
• a second connector in said interconnecting compartment electrically connected to said subscriber premises line;
• a third connector in said first provider compartment electrically connected to said first incoming service line;
• a fourth connector in said second provider compartment electrically connected to said second incoming service line;
• wherein either the third connector or the fourth connector can each be electrically connected to said second connector at any one time to connect said first or second incoming service line, respectively, to said subscriber premises line;
• and
• wherein either the first or second service provider can disconnect the other service provider's incoming service line from said second connector and connect its incoming service line to said second connector.

Apparatus for connecting a subscriber premises line to either the incoming service line of a first provider of subscriber service signals or to the incoming service line of a second provider of incoming service signals, comprising:

• first means for terminating the subscriber premises line;
• second means for terminating the incoming service line of the first provider of subscriber service signals;
• third means for terminating the incoming service line of a second provider of subscriber service signals;
• and
• said second and third means permitting the subscriber premises line to be connected to the incoming service line of either the first or second provider of subscriber service signals.

Apparatus for providing at least one subscriber with subscriber service signals from one of at least first and second providers of subscriber service signals, comprising:

• housing means including a base and first, second, third and fourth covers, said base including a bottom circumscribed by an outwardly extending wall and at least three separating walls extending upwardly from said bottom, said bottom, said outwardly extending wall and said separating walls providing a first compartment, a second compartment, a third compartment and a fourth compartment;
• first connecting means mounted in said first compartment for being connected to at least one subscriber premises line;
• second connecting means mounted in said second compartment for being connected to a first incoming service line from a first provider of subscriber service signals;
• third connecting means mounted in said third compartment for being connected to a second incoming service line carrying subscriber service signals from a second provider of subscriber service signals;
• fourth connecting means mounted in said fourth compartment, and upon the subscriber choosing to receive subscriber service signals from the first provider of subscriber service signals said fourth connecting means for permitting said first provider of subscriber service signals to connect the first incoming service line to the subscriber premises line to cause the subscriber to receive subscriber service signals from the first provider of subscriber service signals, and upon the subscriber choosing to discontinue the receipt of subscriber service signals from the first provider of subscriber service signals and to commence receiving subscriber service signals from the second provider of subscriber service signals, said fourth connecting means for permitting said second provider of subscriber service signals to disconnect the first incoming service line from the subscriber premises line and to connect the second incoming service line to the subscriber premises line to permit the subscriber to receive subscriber service signals from the second provider of subscriber service signals;
• said first cover mounted pivotally to said base, a second cover mounted pivotally to said base and for being fastened to said base and closed over said second compartment and for restricting access to said second connecting means to the first provider of subscriber service signals, said third cover mounted pivotally to said base and for being fastened to said base and closed over said third compartment and for restricting access to said third compartment to the second provider of subscriber service signals, said fourth cover mounted pivotally to said base and for being closed and fastened over said fourth compartment and for restricting access to said fourth compartment to the first provider of subscriber service signals and the second provider of subscriber service signals, and said first cover for being fastened to said base and closed over said first compartment and said second, third and fourth covers and for restricting access to said first compartment to the subscriber, the first provider of subscriber service signals and the second provider of subscriber service signals.

Apparatus for providing at least a first subscriber with subscriber service signals available from at least first and second providers of subscriber service signals, the first subscriber having a first subscriber premises line, the first provider of subscriber service signals having a first incoming service line and the second provider of subscriber service signals having a second incoming service line, comprising:

• housing means providing at least a first compartment, a second compartment, and a third compartment and including a first cover for being fastened closed over at least said first compartment, a second cover for being fastened closed over said second compartment, and a third cover for being fastened closed over said third compartment;
• first connecting means residing in said first compartment for being connected to the first subscriber premises line;
• second connecting means residing in said second compartment for being connected to the first incoming service line;
• third connecting means residing in said third compartment for being connected to the second incoming service line;
• said first connecting means for interconnecting the first subscriber premises line to the first incoming service line to provide the first subscriber with subscriber service signals available from the first provider of subscriber service signals;
• and
• upon the first subscriber premises line being disconnected from the first incoming service line said first connecting means for interconnecting the first subscriber premises line to the second incoming service line to provide the first subscriber with subscriber service signals available from the second provider of subscriber service signals.

Apparatus for providing at least first and second subscribers with subscriber service signals available from at least first and second providers of subscriber service signals, the first and second subscribers having respectively first and second subscriber premises lines, the first provider of subscriber service signals having a first incoming service line and the second provider of subscriber service signals having a second incoming service line, comprising:

• housing means providing at least a first compartment, a second compartment and a third compartment and including a first cover for being fastened closed over at least said first compartment and said first cover for being unfastened only by the first and second providers of subscriber service signals, a second cover for being fastened closed over said second compartment and said second cover for being unfastened only by the first provider of subscriber service signals and a third cover for being fastened closed over said third compartment and said third cover for being unfastened only by the second provider of subscriber service signals;
• first connecting means residing in said first compartment for being interconnected to the first and second subscriber premises lines;
• second connecting means residing in said second compartment for being connected to the first incoming service line;
• third connecting means residing in said third compartment and for being connected to the second incoming service line;
• said first connecting means for connecting either or both of the first and second subscriber premises lines to the first incoming service line to provide either or both of the first and second subscribers with subscriber service signals available from the first provider of subscriber service signals and for connecting either or both of the first and second subscriber premises lines to the second incoming service line to provide either or both of the first and second subscribers with subscriber service signals available from the second provider of subscriber service signals;
• and
• upon either the first or the second subscriber premises lines being first connected and then disconnected from one of the first or the second incoming service lines permitting either the first or the second subscriber premises lines to be connected to the other of the first and second incoming service lines to provide either the first or the second subscriber with subscriber service signals from the other of the first and second providers of subscriber service signals.

Apparatus for providing a plurality of subscribers with subscriber service signals available from at least first and second providers of subscriber service signals, the plurality of subscribers having a plurality of subscriber premises lines each associated with one of the subscribers, the first provider of subscriber service signals having a first incoming service line and a second provider of subscriber service signals having a second incoming service line, comprising:

• housing means providing at least a first compartment, a second compartment and a third compartment and including a first cover for being fastened closed over at least said first compartment, a second cover for being fastened closed over said second compartment and a third cover for being fastened closed over said third compartment, said first cover for being unfastened only by the first provider of subscriber service signals and the second provider of subscriber service signals, said second cover for being unfastened only by the first provider of subscriber service signals and said third cover for being unfastened only by the second provider of subscriber service signals;
• first connecting means residing in said first compartment for being connected to the plurality of subscriber premises lines;
• second connecting means residing in said second compartment for being connected to the first incoming service line;
• third connecting means residing in said third compartment for being connected to the second incoming service line;
• said first and second connecting means for connecting the plurality of subscriber premises lines to the first incoming service line to provide all of the subscribers with subscriber service signals available from the first provider of subscriber service signals;
• said first and third connecting means for interconnecting the plurality of subscriber premises lines to the second incoming service line to provide all of the subscribers with subscriber service signals available from the first provider of subscriber service signals;
• and
• said first, said second and said third connecting means for connecting any one of the plurality of subscriber premises lines to either the first or the second incoming service line to provide the one subscriber with subscriber service signals available from either the first or the second provider of subscriber service signals;
• and
• upon any one of the subscriber service lines being connected to and thereafter disconnected from one of the first or the second incoming service lines said first, said second and said third connecting means for connecting the one subscriber premises line to the other of the first and second incoming service lines.

Apparatus for connecting one of at least first and second incoming service lines to at least one subscriber premises line, the first incoming service line carrying subscriber service signals from a first provider of subscriber service signals and the second incoming service line carrying subscriber service signals from a second provider of subscriber service signals, comprising:

• means for terminating the subscriber premises line;
• means for terminating the first incoming service line;
• means for terminating the second incoming service line and for connecting the subscriber premises line to either the first or the second incoming service line;
• and
• means providing overvoltage protection to at least the first incoming service line and for diverting voltage surges on the first incoming service line to ground.

Apparatus for providing at least a first subscriber with subscriber service signals available from at least first and second providers of subscriber service signals, the first subscriber having a first subscriber premises line, the first provider of subscriber service signals having a first incoming service line and the second provider of subscriber service signals having a second incoming service line, comprising:

• housing means providing at least a first compartment, a second compartment, and a third compartment and including a first cover for being fastened closed over at least said first compartment, a second cover for being fastened closed over said second compartment, and a third cover for being fastened closed over said third compartment;
• first connecting means mounted in said first compartment for being connected to the first subscriber premises line;
• second connecting means mounted in said second compartment for being connected to the first incoming service line;
• overvoltage protection means and grounding means mounted in said housing, said overvoltage protection means connected to at least said second connecting means, and said overvoltage protection means for diverting voltage surges on at least the first incoming service line to said grounding means;
• third connecting means mounted in said third compartment and for interconnecting the first subscriber premises line to the first incoming service line to provide the first subscriber with subscriber service signals available from the first provider of incoming subscriber service signals;
• and
• upon the first subscriber premises line being disconnected from the first incoming service line said third connecting means for interconnecting the first subscriber premises line to the second incoming service line to provide the first subscriber with incoming subscriber service signals available from the second provider of incoming subscriber service signals.

Apparatus for providing at least one subscriber with subscriber service signals from at least first and second providers of subscriber service signals, comprising:

• first connecting means for being connected to at least one subscriber premises line;
• second connecting means for being connected to a first incoming service line carrying subscriber signals provided by a first provider of subscriber service signals;
• third connecting means for being connected to a second incoming service line carrying subscriber service signals from a second provider of subscriber service signals;
• and
• fourth connecting means for permitting the first provider of subscriber service signals to connect the first incoming service line to the subscriber premises line to provide subscriber service signals to the subscriber upon the subscriber choosing to receive subscriber service signals from the first provider of subscriber service signals, and said fourth connecting means for permitting the second provider of subscriber service signals to disconnect from the subscriber premises line the first incoming service line and to thereafter connect the second incoming service line to the subscriber premises line to permit the subscriber to receive subscriber service signals from the second provider of subscriber service signals upon the subscriber choosing to discontinue receipt of subscriber service signals from the first provider of subscriber service signals and to commence the receipt of subscriber service signals from the second provider of subscriber service signals.

Apparatus for providing a plurality of subscribers with subscriber service signals available from at least first and second providers of subscriber service signals, the plurality of subscribers having a plurality of subscriber premises lines each associated with one of the subscribers, the first provider of subscriber service signals having a first incoming service line and a second provider of subscriber service signals having a second incoming service line, comprising:

• housing means providing at least a first compartment, a second compartment and a third compartment and including a first cover for being fastened closed over at least said first compartment, a second cover for being fastened closed over said second compartment and a third cover for being fastened closed over said third compartment, said first cover for being unfastened only by the first provider of subscriber service signals and the second provider of subscriber service signals, said second cover for being unfastened only by the first provider of subscriber service signals and said third cover for being unfastened only by the second provider of subscriber service signals;
• first connecting means residing in said first compartment and including a first plurality of connectors equal in number to the plurality of subscriber premises lines and for being connected to the plurality of subscriber premises lines;
• second connecting means residing in said second compartment and provided with a second plurality of connectors equal in number to said first plurality of connectors;
• third connecting means residing in said third compartment and providing a third plurality of connectors equal in number to said first plurality of connectors;
• said first connecting means and said second connecting means for permitting one or more jumper lines to interconnect one or all of said plurality of subscriber premises lines to the first incoming service line to provide one or all of the plurality of subscribers with subscriber service signals available from the first provider of subscriber service signals;
• said first connecting means and said third connecting means for permitting one or more jumper lines to interconnect one or all of the plurality of subscriber premises lines to the second incoming service line to provide one or all of the plurality of subscribers with subscriber service signals available from the second provider of subscriber service signals;
• and
• upon any one of the plurality of subscriber premises lines being first connected to and then disconnected from one of the first and second incoming service lines by one of the jumper lines, said first, said second and said third connecting means permitting the one subscriber premises line to be connected to the other of the first and second incoming service lines.