A broadband telecommunication network (such as a cable television
distribution system) includes a plurality of switching units (such as
taps) controlling subscriber access to the network. The switching units
are controlled from a central location (such as a head end) using minimal
network transmission medium power. A repeating sequence of switching unit
control messages is sent from the central location across the network.
Each of the messages is addressed to an individual one of the switching
units. Each switching unit is periodically powered up from a low power
sleep state to a higher power operational wake state in synchronization
with a corresponding one of the control messages being sent from the
central location. After a switching unit's corresponding control message
is processed, the switching unit is returned to the lower power sleep
state.
