A device comprises a memory configured to store, for each one of a plurality of communication lines, an associated relative weight and an associated noise value indicative of a signal-to-noise ratio of transmission on the respective communication line. The device further comprises at least one processor configured to perform an optimization of a transmission precoding parameter for vectored transmission on the plurality of communication lines based on the relative weights and the noise values. The at least one processor is configured to effect the vectored transmission on the plurality of communication lines in accordance with the optimized transmission precoding parameter.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for communicating in a telecommunication system. In particular methods and apparatus are disclosed for establishing communications in a telecommunication system having an access node (16) and a plurality of Digital Subscriber Lines (DSLs) (21, 22, 23) each of which may be used to allow communication between the access node (16) and a respective Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) device (51, 52, 53), where communications on a plurality of lines (21, 21) are being performed using vectoring, and where it is desired to add one or more new lines (23) to the existing vectoring group.

Described is a method for performance estimation of a communication device. The method comprises: executing active probing to determine active probing data; reading operational data which includes data related to channel and its noise condition, latency and counter values related to user data traffic between the communication device and another communication device, wherein the operational data is relevant to the current settings of the communication device; and training a performance estimation algorithm for the communication device according to the active probing data and the operational data.

Automatic testing/analysis of local loops of telecommunications networks includes obtaining bits-per-tone data for a local loop of a telecommunications network and generating a bit value string from the bits-per-tone data. The bit value string is then analyzed to determine whether it includes a bit pattern indicative of an impairment of the local loop. Further approaches for automatically testing local loops of telecommunications networks include obtaining attenuation data for multiple tones carried by the local loop and determining whether the attenuation data falls below thresholds for providing a service using the local loop.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for selecting an encoding specification for encoding audio and/or video data to be streamed between a user-device (11) and a remote device (28), where the user-device is operable to communicate with the remote device via a digital subscriber line (DSL, 13) for a portion of a path (29) between the user-device and the remote device, the DSL portion (13) extending between a user-side DSL modem device (22) and a DSL aggregation transceiver device (24). The method comprises: at the user-side DSL modem device (22) and/or the DSL aggregation transceiver device (24), collecting performance data in respect of data communications on the DSL portion (13); in dependence on the performance data collected, determining one or more data communication characteristics in respect of data communications on the DSL portion (13); and selecting an encoding specification for encoding the data to be streamed, the selection being made in dependence on the determined data communication characteristics.

The present document discloses network nodes and apparatuses deployable in network systems. The network node may be coupleable via a transmission line to the apparatus. In particular, the network node may comprise means for receiving supply power from the apparatus via the transmission line; performing a line measurement on the transmission line; and signaling to the apparatus to disconnect from the transmission line, wherein the means may be further configured to perform the line measurement on the transmission line during a period of time when the apparatus is disconnected from the transmission line. The apparatus may comprise means for providing supply power to the network node; monitoring at least one electrical parameter of the transmission line; and disconnecting the apparatus from the transmission line if a predetermined line condition or a power violation is detected such that the network node can perform a measurement on the transmission line.

With the current initialization procedures defined in the VDSL and ADSL standards, even though the xDSL system could operate in Showtime in an impulse noise environment where symbols are being corrupted, the transceivers would not be able to reach Showtime because initialization would fail due to initialization message failure. Through the use of an improved initialization procedure for communication systems, operation in environments with higher levels of impulse noise is possible.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for selecting an encoding specification for encoding audio and/or video data to be streamed between a user-device (11) and a remote device (28), where the user-device is operable to communicate with the remote device via a digital subscriber line (DSL, 13) for a portion of a path (29) between the user-device and the remote device, the DSL portion (13) extending between a user-side DSL modem device (22) and a DSL aggregation transceiver device (24). The method comprises: at the user-side DSL modem device (22) and/or the DSL aggregation transceiver device (24), collecting performance data in respect of data communications on the DSL portion (13); in dependence on the performance data collected, determining one or more data communication characteristics in respect of data communications on the DSL portion (13); and selecting an encoding specification for encoding the data to be streamed, the selection being made in dependence on the determined data communication characteristics.

Methods, apparatus and devices are disclosed for identifying and of controlling communications on interfering links in a local area network (20) having user-devices (22, 23, 24, 25) located therein operable to communicate via a local area network (LAN) gateway device (30, 50) with remote devices in a communications network (10,15) outside the LAN (20), communications being carried via one or more LAN links (28) for at least a portion of a path between user-devices (22, 23, 24, 25) and the gateway device (30, 50), and being carried via a digital subscriber (xDSL) line (19) for at least a portion of a path between the gateway device (30, 50) and the remote devices. The method comprises triggering performance of a signal transmission action on a LAN link during a predetermined period; monitoring digital subscriber line (DSL) performance characteristics in respect of data communications on the xDSL line (19) during said predetermined period whereby to identify changes therein; classifying the LAN link as an interfering link in the event that identified changes in DSL performance characteristics coincide with the predetermined period during which the signal transmission action has been performed; and adjusting the data flow rate in respect of data flow on a LAN link if it is classified as an interfering link.

Automatic testing/analysis of local loops of telecommunications networks includes obtaining bits-per-tone data for a local loop of a telecommunications network and generating a bit value string from the bits-per-tone data. The bit value string is then analyzed to determine whether it includes a bit pattern indicative of an impairment of the local loop. Further approaches for automatically testing local loops of telecommunications networks include obtaining attenuation data for multiple tones carried by the local loop and determining whether the attenuation data falls below thresholds for providing a service using the local loop.