Methods of providing digital data services including comparing predicted and measured levels of performance and related systems and computer program products

US8134930B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. · US

Inventors

• James M. Seymour · Alpharetta, US
• Oussama Zbib · Alpharetta, US
• Kenneth Wayne Hartsfield · Pinson, US
• Christopher R. Normand · Johns Creek, US
• Ping Song · Beijing, CN
• Joan Tidwell Waldron · Trussville, US
• Jeffrey Neumann · Evansville, US
• Steven C. Laufmann · Louisville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 31, 2007
• Grant date: Mar 13, 2012
• Expiry date: Aug 1, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04L41/5067
• WIPO field: Digital communication
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method of providing digital data services between a communications service provider and a customer site over a communications loop may include predicting a level of performance of the communications loop without coupling a modem to the communications loop at the customer site to provide a predicted level of performance of the communications loop. The communications loop may be qualified for an initial qualified level of digital data service based on the predicted level of performance of the communications loop. After qualifying the communications loop, digital data service may be provided over the communications loop at the initial qualified level using a modem coupled to the communications loop at the customer site, and a measured level of performance of the communications loop may be obtained based on data communicated between the communications service provider and the modem over the communications loop. The measured level of performance may then be compared with the predicted level of performance. Related systems and computer program products are also discussed.