Systems, methods and apparatus for providing a plurality of telecommunication services

A method of providing multiple telecommunication services to a customer premises, the method comprising:

• providing a network interface device at the customer premises;
• receiving a plurality of telecommunication information sets, wherein the plurality of telecommunication information sets comprises a set of video information, a set of data information, and a set of voice information from a plurality of telecommunication information providers, and wherein the plurality of providers comprises a first provider providing the set of video information, a second provider providing the set of data information, and a third provider providing the set of voice information;
• and
• transmitting the plurality of telecommunication information sets to the network interface device using an external transport medium;
• receiving a request from a customer for a particular telecommunication service;
• forwarding the request to a particular telecommunication information provider associated with the requested service;
• receiving from the particular telecommunication information provider a set of information responsive to the request;
• transmitting the set of information to the network interface device;
• and
• wherein the set of information is selected from the group consisting of telecommunication information and configuration information;
• wherein the network interface device comprises:
• a discrimination device capable of separating a first of the plurality of information sets from a second of the plurality of information sets;
• an isolation device configured to isolate at least one internal transport medium from an external transport medium, such that modifications to the type of media used by the at least one internal transport medium do not affect the external transport medium and modifications to the type of media used by the external transport medium do not affect the at least one internal transport medium;
• a first interface in communication with the external transport medium, wherein the external transport medium is in communication with a distribution point;
• and
• at least one second interface for communicating with the at least one internal transport medium.

A network interface device comprising:

• a first interface adapted to communicate with an external transport medium;
• wherein the network interface device is located at a customer premises and is capable of receiving a plurality of sets of telecommunication information via the external transport medium from a distribution point, including a set of video information, a set of data information, and a set of voice information, wherein each set of telecommunication information is associated with a separate telecommunication information provider;
• a discrimination device capable of separating a first of the plurality of information sets from at least a second of the plurality of information sets;
• an isolation device configured to isolate at least one internal transport medium from the external transport medium, such that modifications to a protocol used by the at least one internal transport medium do not affect the external transport medium and modifications to a protocol used by the external transport medium do not affect the at least one internal transport medium;
• at least a second interface for communicating with the at least one internal transport medium;
• and
• a plurality of control points, wherein each of the plurality of control points is associated with a different telecommunication information provider;
• wherein the network interface device is configurable by configuration information received from at least one of the plurality of control points;
• and
• wherein the configuration information configures the behavior of the network interface device with respect to a particular telecommunication information set, and wherein the network interface device is adapted to receive the configuration information from a telecommunication information provider associated with the particular telecommunication information set to thereby control receipt of the set of telecommunication information provided by the particular telecommunication information provider to the customer premises.