Providing access dependent services via a broadband access gateway

Abstract

A system supporting controlled access to multimedia information and media-related services, the system including a gateway communicatively coupled to a broadband network and at least one wireless interface, the gateway capable of selectively communicating multimedia information among the at least one wireless interface and the broadband network, and of communicating with a plurality of access devices via the at least one wireless interface. The gateway is also capable of selecting one of a plurality of access privilege tiers based upon identification information received from one of the plurality of access devices. The identification information includes a plurality of identity data pieces. Each of the plurality of identify data pieces differs from another of the plurality of identity data pieces. Access to each of the plurality of access privilege tiers requires a different degree of authentication that is represented by a different combination of the plurality of identity data pieces.