INTEGRATING INTERACTIVE LOCAL INTERNET ACCESS AND DOWNSTREAM DATA TRANSFER WITH UPSTREAM DATA CARRIED BY OTHER MEDIA
A method and apparatus for communicating between information service provider systems (52A - 52N) and customer premise equipment is provided. The method and apparatus use cable transmission channels to transmit information on a downstream communication path from the information service provider systems (52A - 52N) to the CPE. Separate transmission channels (78) transmit requests for information on an upstream communication path from the customer premise equipment to the information service provider systems (52A - 52N). A plurality of information service providers (52A - 52N) SPS are coupled on the upstream path and a plurality of interactive service providers (54A - 54N) are coupled on the downstream path.