access node

"An access node is a part of the access network that performs some or all of the following: modulating forward data onto the access network, demodulating return-path data, enforcing the MAC protocol for access onto the access network, separating or classifying traffic before multiplexing onto the transport network such as differentiating traffic that is subject to QoS guarantees from traffic that receives best-effort support, enforcing signaling, and/or handling passive operations, such as splitting and filtering. See also MAC and quality-of-service (QoS)."