Rural Subscriber Physical Loops

This paper briefly traces the development of physical subscriber loop design in the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) Program from 1949 to the present. Development of equipment for overcoming in the most economical manner the signaling and transmission problems encountered with long subscriber loops is also discussed. This includes loading systems for wider bandwidth, better structural return loss, less bridging effects with multiparty lines; loop extenders in place of costly long-line adapters (LLA's); lower cost voice-frequency repeaters (VFR's) and switching methods such as Common-Mode Operation (CMO) where less equipment is required. Discussion of the problems still encountered with transmission and signaling on rural subscriber loop is presented with ideas for solution. Development of VFR equipment with automatic gain control for use in CMO or Common-Control Central offices would permit designing to common circuit net loss and minimize contrast between circuits. Extension of signaling limits of central office equipment (COE) now being developed could eliminate the need for external loop extension equipment on better than 90 percent of rural subscriber loops. Development of a telephone instrument requiring less dc line current would eliminate the need for elevated line voltages.