All communications equipment located on the customer's premises; owned, leased, or rented by the customer; connected to a public or private network through a network interface of some sort; and on the customer side of the demarcation point (demarc). CPE primarily refers to voice equipment, including telephone sets, key equipment, PBXs,ACDs, and peripheral equipment such as answering machines.The term data terminal equipment (DTE) generally applies to data terminals, hubs, switches, routers and multiplexers, all of which also are considered CPE in the broader context. Inside wire and cable systems are not considered CPE. Equipment owned and operated by a telephone company or third party is not considered CPE, with examples being public pay stations and protectors.