Hybrid Fiber Coax Broadband Networks

Many broadband networks, especially in the United States and Canada, use optical fiber and coaxial cable to deliver cable services to cable customers. These types of networks generally allow a wide level of flexibility and reliability within the network and allow a great deal of flexibility in the structure and design of the network.

These networks, more commonly referred to as hybrid fiber coax, usually initiate at the master headend as a fiber optic network. These headends often consist of a series of satellite dishes and routers that receive the signals and route them out towards various regional headends. At the regional headend level, local advertising and channels are added to the mix and then sent on towards the various nodes in each neighborhood. Once the signal is received by the node it is converted into a radio frequency and sent out over coaxial cables towards each individual home on the CATV distribution system. Each home has its own coax branch off of the main line. There are also frequency amplifiers located along the network at necessary intervals to ensure the integrity of the signal.

CATV Distribution System Delivers Digital Content

The increase in technology has led to digital content being delivered to customers by cable television companies. A CATV distribution system can now deliver traditional cable programming, digital cable programming, broadband Internet, and voice over IP services. Many cable companies now offer a "triple play" package to their customers, a bundle of television, Internet, and voice services at a discounted rate. The hybrid fiber coax network can easily deliver these products to each consumer's television set, computer and telephone while the customer has the convenience of having only one bill to pay.