System and method for performing subscriber loop testing in an optical network

An access network includes a test system controller that provides a test request in Signaling Network Management Protocol (SNMP) messages to an element management system. A network gateway, in conjunction with the element management system, provides test commands to a customer gateway over a Local loop Emulation Service Embedded Operations Channel (LES-EOC). The customer gateway performs a subscriber loop test on derived subscriber lines connected therewith. Results of the subscriber loop test are provided over the LES-EOC to the gateway. The network gateway sends the results to the test system controller through the element management system in SNMP messages.