Communication server apparatus having four-wire switching interface and method

A communication server (58) is provided that includes a plurality of line interface units (500) each coupled to an associated twisted pair data line (54) and to an associated receive data pair (506) and transmit data pair (504). A plurality of XDSL modems (510) are coupled to associated modem receive data pairs (514) and transmit data pairs (512). A switch (502) operates to couple a selected subset of the receive data pairs (506) and transmit data pairs (504) of the line interface units (500) to the modem receive data pairs (514) and transmit data pairs (512) of the XDSL modems (510). A detector (508) operates to detect a need for data service on a receive data pair (506) of a selected line interface unit (500). A controller (80) operates to select one of the XDSL modems (510) in response to detecting the need for data service and to direct the switch (502) to couple the receive data pair (506) and transmit data pair (504) of the selected line interface unit (500) to the modem receive data pair (514) and transmit data pair (512) of the selected XDSL modem (510).