Communications service providers have spent more than four decades building out and re-architecting their  networks to meet the changing service and access demands of their customers. While the pace has been dynamic, there is one constant network artifact: the central office. Whether designated a mobile switching center or class 5 fixed end office, the venerable CO has seen it all technology wise. This includes the transition from analog to digital switching, to the rise of voice over IP softswitches and the IP multimedia system.