Method and apparatus for determining conditions for non-terminated service provider network connections

1. A method for determining conditions for non-terminated service provider network connections, the method comprising:

determining, by a service provider, from an overlap frequency range of upstream signals received from a premises, an uncorrectable metric based on application of signal correction to the upstream signals and a correctable metric based on application of the signal correction to the upstream signals, the overlap frequency range related to an operating frequency range of more than one networking device;

checking, by the service provider, whether the determined uncorrectable metric at least meets an uncorrectable threshold;

checking, by the service provider, whether the determined correctable metric is less than a correctable threshold; and

setting, by the service provider, a non-termination alert when the determined uncorrectable metric at least meets the uncorrectable threshold and the determined correctable metric is less than the correctable threshold, wherein the non-termination alert indicates a presence of a non-terminated device in or at the premises.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the more than one networking device are associated with different service providers.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein uncorrectable metric determination further comprises:

counting a number of uncorrectable errors in the portion of the upstream signals; and

determining the uncorrectable metric from the number of uncorrectable errors.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein correctable metric determination further comprises:

counting a number of correctable errors in the portion of the upstream signals; and

determining the correctable metric from the number of correctable errors.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the uncorrectable metric and the correctable metric are each percentages.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the determined uncorrectable metric at least meets the uncorrectable threshold for a defined period of time and the determined correctable metric is less than the correctable threshold for the defined period of time and the defined period of time is determined by:

polling the portion of the upstream signals at a defined polling interval; and

determining whether the determined uncorrectable metric at least meets the uncorrectable threshold and the determined correctable metric is less than a correctable threshold for each polling event.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

incrementing a counter each time the determined uncorrectable metric at least meets the uncorrectable threshold and the determined correctable metric is less than a correctable threshold, wherein the setting occurs when the counter at least meets a defined counter threshold.

8. A method for determining non-terminated service provider connections, the method comprising:

determining, by an analyzer unit, from a defined frequency range of upstream communications received from premises an uncorrectable percentage and a correctable percentage from error correction processing of the upstream communications, the defined frequency range being related to a network device operating frequency range;

setting, by the analyzer unit, a non-termination alert when the determined uncorrectable percentage at least meets an uncorrectable threshold and the determined correctable percentage is less than a correctable threshold, wherein the non-termination alert indicates a presence of a non-terminated device in or at the premises; and

providing, by an alert notification unit, the non-termination alert to initiate corrective actions.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the determined uncorrectable percentage at least meets the uncorrectable threshold and the determined correctable percentage is less than the correctable threshold for a defined number of times over a defined time interval.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

polling at the defined frequency range of the upstream communications at a defined polling interval;

determining whether the determined uncorrectable percentage at least meets the uncorrectable threshold and the determined correctable percentage is less than a correctable threshold for each polling event;

incrementing a persistency counter each time the determined uncorrectable percentage at least meets the uncorrectable threshold and the determined correctable percentage is less than a correctable threshold; and

resetting the persistency counter when the determined uncorrectable percentage is less than the uncorrectable threshold or when the determined correctable percentage is not less than a correctable threshold,

wherein the setting occurs when the persistency counter at least meets the defined number of times.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein uncorrectable percentage determination further comprises:

counting a number of uncorrectable errors in the defined frequency range of the upstream communications; and

determining the uncorrectable percentage from the number of uncorrectable errors.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein correctable percentage determination further comprises:

counting a number of correctable errors in the defined frequency range of the upstream communications; and

determining the correctable percentage from the number of correctable errors.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the interference alert is at least one of an audio alert or a visual alert.

14. A service provider system comprising:

an upstream receiver configured to receive upstream signals from premises; and

a processor in communication with the upstream receiver, the processer configured to:

determine from an overlap frequency portion of the upstream signals an uncorrectable metric based on signal correction processing of the upstream signals;

determine from the portion of the upstream signals a correctable metric based on signal correction processing of the upstream signals; and

generate a non-termination alert when the determined uncorrectable metric at least meets an uncorrectable threshold and the determined correctable metric is less than a correctable threshold, wherein the non-termination alert indicates a presence of a non-terminated device in or at the premises.

15. The service provider system of claim 14 , wherein the overlap frequency portion is related to a frequency range used by devices associated with different service providers.

16. The service provider system of claim 14 , wherein the overlap frequency portion is related to a frequency range used by different networking devices in or at the premises.

17. The service provider system of claim 14 , wherein the non-termination alert indicates a non-terminated pathway to a service provider central office from a non-terminated device in or at the premises when service is provided to the premises from another service provider central office.

18. The service provider system of claim 14 , the processor further configured to:

count a number of uncorrectable errors in the portion of the upstream signals;

determine the uncorrectable metric from the number of uncorrectable errors;

count a number of correctable errors in the portion of the upstream signals; and

determine the correctable metric from the number of correctable errors.

19. The service provider system of claim 18 , the processor further configured to:

poll the portion of the upstream signals at defined intervals over the persistent period of time;

determine whether the determined uncorrectable metric at least meets the uncorrectable threshold and the determined correctable metric is less than a correctable threshold for each polling event; and

increment a counter each time the determined uncorrectable metric at least meets the uncorrectable threshold and the determined correctable metric is less than a correctable threshold,

wherein non-termination alert generation occurs when the counter at least meets a defined threshold.

20. The service provider system of claim 19 , the processor further configured to:

reset the counter when the determined uncorrectable metric is less than the uncorrectable threshold or when the determined correctable metric is not less than a correctable threshold.