An apparatus and method are provided for obtaining, from an analog subscriber
loop, test data that may be used to test the performance of a telephony communication
system. The apparatus includes a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter, a first port,
a second port, and an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter. The D/A converter receives
digital data and converts the digital data into a first analog signal. The first
port transmits the first analog signal across a first subscriber loop to a telephony
communication network. The network, via A/D and D/A conversion, translates the
first analog signal to a second analog signal and transmits the second analog signal
to the second port via a second subscriber loop. The A/D converter receives the
second analog signal from the second port and converts the second analog signal
into the digital test data, which is then used to analyze the performance of the
telephony communication system.