A method and apparatus for qualifying a telephone transmission line for XDSL communication services is disclosed. The system includes a modem, located at the customer premises to be connected. The modem analyzes actual signals to determine the electrical characteristics of the communication channel associated with the customer premises. The modem includes a transmitter, receiver and controller to generate test signals and receive responses. The modem then analyzes the data to generate an output value indicative of the electrical characteristics of the communication channel being tested. This output value is then displayed to a user or transmitted over the communication channel to a network. The system thereby eliminates the necessity of dispatching a technician to test the telephone line, and provides more accurate test results than those achievable at the network-side of the connection alone.