Methods and apparatus to upgrade communication services in subscriber distribution areas

Abstract

Example methods and apparatus to upgrade communication services in subscriber distribution areas are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves installing an optical network unit communicatively coupled to an optical line terminal serving a subscriber distribution area communicatively coupled to the optical line terminal. The optical network unit includes a first subscriber downlink interface to serve a first subscriber premises and a second subscriber downlink interface to serve a second subscriber premises. A first communication service is provided to the first subscriber premises via a first electrically conductive medium communicatively coupled to the first subscriber downlink interface via a first removably attachable subscriber downlink module. A second communication service is provided to the second subscriber premises via a second electrically conductive medium communicatively coupled to the second subscriber downlink interface via a second removably attachable subscriber downlink module. In response to receiving a request to upgrade the first communication service, the first removably attachable subscriber downlink module is replaced with a third removably attachable subscriber downlink module, an optical transmission medium is connected between the third removably attachable subscriber downlink module and the first subscriber premises while retaining the second electrically conductive medium communicatively coupled to the second subscriber downlink interface to provide the second communication service to the second subscriber premises.

1 . A method of upgrading communication services in a subscriber distribution area, the method comprising:
 installing an optical network unit communicatively coupled to an optical line terminal serving a subscriber distribution area, the optical network unit including a first subscriber downlink interface to serve a first subscriber premises and a second subscriber downlink interface to serve a second subscriber premises;   providing a first communication service to the first subscriber premises via a first electrically conductive medium communicatively coupled to the first subscriber downlink interface via a first removably attachable subscriber downlink module;   providing a second communication service to the second subscriber premises via a second electrically conductive medium communicatively coupled to the second subscriber downlink interface via a second removably attachable subscriber downlink module;   receiving a request to upgrade the first communication service; and   in response to the request, replacing the first removably attachable subscriber downlink module with a third removably attachable subscriber downlink module and connecting an optical transmission medium between the third removably attachable subscriber downlink module and the first subscriber premises while retaining the second electrically conductive medium communicatively coupled to the second subscriber downlink interface to provide the second communication service to the second subscriber premises.   
     
     
         2 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising, after installing the optical network unit, updating a first subscriber profile associated with the first subscriber premises and a second subscriber profile status record associated with the second subscriber premises to indicate that a first subscriber line associated with the first subscriber premises and a second subscriber line associated with the second subscriber premises are enabled for upgrading to an optical type of transmission medium. 
     
     
         3 . The method as defined in  claim 2 , further comprising, after connecting the optical transmission medium between the third removably attachable subscriber downlink module and the first subscriber premises, updating the first subscriber profile status record associated with the first subscriber premises to indicate that the first subscriber line comprises the optical transmission medium. 
     
     
         4 . The method as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the first subscriber line communicatively couples the optical network unit to customer equipment at the first customer premises. 
     
     
         5 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein connecting the optical transmission medium between the third removably attachable subscriber downlink module and the first subscriber premises comprises extending the optical transmission medium between the third removably attachable subscriber downlink module and the first subscriber premises. 
     
     
         6 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the replacing the first removably attachable subscriber downlink module with the third removably attachable subscriber downlink module is performed in response to determining that a subscriber profile status record associated with the first subscriber premises indicates that a subscriber line of the first subscriber premises is capable of being upgraded to an optical type of transmission medium. 
     
     
         7 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the subscriber distribution area is a residential neighborhood. 
     
     
         8 . The method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first electrically conductive medium is a twisted pair wire or a coaxial cable. 
     
     
         9 . A method of tracking subscriber line upgrading capabilities in a subscriber distribution area, the method comprising:
 updating a first subscriber line upgradeable entry in a first subscriber profile associated with a first subscriber premises and a second subscriber line upgradeable entry in a second subscriber profile associated with a second subscriber premises to indicate that a first subscriber line associated with the first subscriber premises and a second subscriber line associated with the second subscriber premises are enabled for replacement with an optical type of transmission medium; and   in response to replacing a transmission medium type of the first subscriber line, updating a first subscriber line type entry in the first subscriber profile to indicate that the first subscriber line comprises the optical type of transmission medium and maintaining a second subscriber line type entry in the second subscriber profile to indicate that the second subscriber line comprises an electrically conductive type of transmission medium.   
     
     
         10 . The method as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the updating the first subscriber line upgradeable entry in the first subscriber profile associated with the first subscriber premises and the second subscriber line upgradeable entry in the second subscriber profile associated with the second subscriber premises to indicate that the first subscriber line associated with the first subscriber premises and the second subscriber line associated with the second subscriber premises are enabled for replacement with the optical type of transmission medium is performed in response to installing a fiber-to-the-curb distribution system in a subscriber distribution area including the first and second subscriber premises. 
     
     
         11 . The method as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the upgrading of the transmission medium type of the first subscriber line comprises replacing the electrically conductive type of transmission medium associated with the first subscriber line with the optical type of transmission medium. 
     
     
         12 . The method as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the electrically conductive type of transmission medium is replaced with the optical type of transmission medium in response to receiving a customer order associated with the first subscriber premises requesting services associated with a first data transmission rate capability that is relatively higher than a second data rate transmission capability of the electrically conductive type of transmission medium. 
     
     
         13 . The method as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the first and second subscriber premises are first and second households in a residential neighborhood. 
     
     
         14 . The method as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the first and second subscriber premises are first and second businesses. 
     
     
         15 . The method as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the electrically conductive type of transmission medium is a twisted pair wire or a coaxial cable. 
     
     
         16 . A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to:
 update a first subscriber line upgradeable entry in a first subscriber profile associated with a first subscriber premises and a second subscriber line upgradeable entry in a second subscriber profile associated with a second subscriber premises to indicate that a first subscriber line associated with the first subscriber premises and a second subscriber line associated with the second subscriber premises are enabled for replacement with an optical type of transmission medium; and   update a first subscriber line type entry in the first subscriber profile to indicate that the first subscriber line comprises the optical type of transmission medium and maintaining a second subscriber line type entry in the second subscriber profile to indicate that the second subscriber line comprises an electrically conductive type of transmission medium.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable medium as defined in  claim 16  having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to update the first and second subscriber line upgradeable entries in response to installing a fiber-to-the-curb distribution system in a subscriber distribution area including the first and second subscriber premises. 
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium as defined in  claim 16  having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to update the first subscriber line type entry in response to the electrically conductive type of transmission medium associated with the first subscriber line being replaced with the optical type of transmission medium. 
     
     
         19 . The computer readable medium as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the electrically conductive type of transmission medium associated with the first subscriber line is replaced with the optical type of transmission medium in response to receiving a customer order associated with the first subscriber premises requesting services associated with a first data transmission rate capability that is relatively higher than a second data rate transmission capability of the electrically conductive type of transmission medium. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The computer readable medium as defined in  claim 16 , wherein the electrically conductive type of transmission medium is a twisted pair wire or a coaxial cable. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled)