Uninterrupted digital communications are provided between a central office
and a customer premises by using a high-pass or bandpass filter to bypass
local loop generation equipment. In many present-day telecommunications
installations, local loop generation equipment may be placed in series
with a communications path that runs between the central office and the
customer premises. This communications path is adapted to convey digital
signals as well as voice information and/or other types of baseband
communications signals. In order to avoid interference between baseband
signals and digital signals, each of these signals is allowed to occupy
only a specified portion of the frequency spectrum. When activated, the
local loop generation equipment breaks the entire communications path,
interrupting voice signals, as well as any digital signals which may be
carried thereon. The techniques disclosed herein solve the problem of
interrupted digital communications by bridging a frequency-selective
filter across the local loop generation equipment so as to provide an
alternate path for digital signals around the activated local loop
generation equipment. In cases where the digital signals occupy
frequencies above baseband, the frequency selective filter may be
implemented using a high-pass filter and/or a bandpass filter. In this
manner, a digital communications path between the central office and the
customer premises is provided at all times.