Method and system for authenticated fast channel change of media provided over a dsl connection

Abstract

A method and system for fast channel changes of media that is provided by carriers over an xDSL connection to a home. Each customer's subscriber information is stored at the DSLAM that supports the xDSL connection to the home. Also, each DSLAM supports multicast protocols so that only one instance of a channel is provided on the core network regardless of how many customers have requested access to the channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for enabling fast access to a media channel available on a core network, the apparatus comprising:
 (a) an access node enabled with multicast capabilities, to enable a subscriber to access the media channel over an xDSL connection coupled to the access node;   (b) means, at the access node, for receiving a request for the media channel from the subscriber;   (c) means for storing subscriber authorization information at the access node; and   (d) means for using the subscriber authorization information to determine whether the subscriber is authorized to access the media channel without requesting the subscriber authorization information from the core network in response to the request for the media channel and for providing access to the media channel over the xDSL connection using a multicast protocol if the subscriber is determined to be authorized to access the media channel.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the media channel is made available at the access node in advance of selection by the subscriber. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the access node is a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM).