Broadband Cable
CATV, or Community Antenna Television, was originally developed to
provide improved TV signals by sharing antennas and satellite dishes. It used
coaxial cable to transport the TV signals to each subscriber. Current systems
typically use a combination of fiber and coaxial. When both fiber and coaxial
cables are used, the system is referred to as a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC)
network.
Broadband cable uses frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) to deliver data
over a radio frequency (RF) network. Cable provides relatively inexpensive
high-speed Internet access that supports analog and digital video, voice, and
data. Its downsides include possible bandwidth and security issues because it
is a shared medium. The provider can increase bandwidth by using smaller
service areas and more channels. Security can be addressed by the user
within the cable modem or with an onsite router.