Universal access multimedia data network

A communication system, comprising:

• a plurality of digital subscriber line modems for connection to a plurality of local loops to subscriber premises, each digital subscriber line modem for supplying data to and receiving data over a respective one of the local loops;
• a data switch system coupled for two-way data communication with customer premises data equipment, in accord with a local area network protocol, via the digital subscriber line modems and over the respective local loops,
• wherein the data switch system also is for providing data communication access to a packet switched network using a packet protocol, and communications to and from the packet switched network for the customer premises data equipment utilize the packet protocol transported in the two-way data communication in accord with the local area network protocol via the digital subscriber line modems and over the local loops;
• and
• at least one server coupled for communication via the data switch system, for dynamically administering packet protocol addresses for communications of the customer premises data equipment, wherein the server administers each packet protocol address by routing to the packet protocol address associated with an identifier entered via the customer premises data equipment.

A communication system, comprising:

• a plurality of digital subscriber line modems for network-side connection to a respective plurality of local loops to customer premises on a one-to-one basis,
• each digital subscriber line modem for supplying data to and receiving data from data equipment over a respective one of the local loops on a substantially always-on basis;
• a data switch coupled for two-way data communication with the customer premises data equipment via the digital subscriber line modems and over the respective local loops on a substantially always-on basis, such that the switch and digital subscriber line modems are for providing data communication access to a packet switched network, wherein:
• the communications between the data switch and the customer premises data equipment utilize a local area network protocol,
• the data communication access to the packet switched network utilizes a packet protocol, and
• packet protocol communications between the data switch and the customer premises data equipment utilize the packet protocol transported in the local area network protocol, via the digital subscriber line modems and over the local loops.

A method of providing data communication access to a packet switched internetwork, comprising the steps of:

• providing digital subscriber line data service over each of a plurality of subscriber telephone lines;
• providing local area network transport between a hub location and customer premises over the digital subscriber line data service;
• providing packet transport for communication of customer premises data equipment to and from the packet switched internetwork using the local area network transport over the digital subscriber line data service;
• and
• dynamically assigning packet protocol addresses to individual pieces of customer premises data equipment using the local area network transport over the digital subscriber line data service, for use in communications via the packet switched internetwork, wherein the server administers each packet protocol address by routing to the packet protocol address associated with an identifier entered via the customer premises data equipment. ease add the following new claims.