Teleworker Connectivity

Describing Cable Technology

Cable Technology
Terms
Cable Technology Terms

• Broadband
• CATV
• Coaxial cable
• Tap
• Amplifier
• HFC
• Downstream
• Upstream
Cable System Standards

Standard Description

NTSC • Technical standard for analog TV system

used in North America
• Uses a 6-MHz modulated signal
PAL • Color encoding system used in broadcast
television systems in most of the world
• Uses 6-MHz, 7-MHz, or 8-MHz modulated
signal
SECAM • An analog color TV system used in France
and some Eastern European countries
• Uses an 8-MHz modulated signal
Cable System
Components
Cable System Components

Component Description
Antenna site • A location with the main receiving
antennas and satellite dishes
Headend • A facility where signals are received,
processed, formatted, and combined
• Transmits cable signals through
distribution network to subscribers
Transportation • Links a remote antenna site to a
network headend
Distribution network • Comprised of trunk and feeder cables
Subscriber drop • Devices and parts used to connect to
the distribution network
Cable Features
What Is Cable?

• Cable refers to use of coaxial cable or fiber for signal

transmission.
• Cable solves the problem of poor over-the-air TV reception.
• CATV originally meant “community antenna television.”
Cable System Benefits

• Cable is cost-effective as “broadcast” architecture is

cascaded to users.
• Cable supports different services:
– Analog video
– Digital video
– Voice
– Data
• Inexpensive high-speed Internet access enables the
application of advanced SOHO and teleworker deployments.
Digital Signals over RF
Channels
DOCSIS

• DOCSIS is a standard for certification of cable equipment

vendor devices (cable modem and cable modem termination
system).
• DOCSIS specifies the physical and MAC layers.
• DOCSIS defines RF interface requirements for a data-over-
cable system.
• Cable equipment vendors must pass certification conducted
by CableLabs.
• Euro-DOCSIS is a variation adapted for use in Europe.
Digital Signals over Radio Waves

• Cable uses a part of RF electromagnetic frequencies.

• Cable can transmit signals simultaneously in either direction.
• RF portion used is subdivided for the two paths:
– Downstream: Headend-to-subscriber has 810 MHz of RF bandwidth.
– Upstream: Subscriber-to-headend has 37 MHz of RF bandwidth.
Data over Cable
Fiber Benefits

• Lessens the use of amplifiers

• Thin and lightweight
• Covers long distances
• Cheaper than pure coaxial network
• Easy to handle
• Immune to external interference
HFC Architecture

Cable network is segmented into service areas (segments):

• Less amplifiers are cascaded
• Reliability and quality is improved
• Operating costs are reduced
Data over Cable

• Data service runs between cable modem and CMTS.

• Users on a segment share upstream and downstream
bandwidth.
Cable Technology:
Putting It All Together
Putting Cable Technology All Together
Data Cable Technology Issues

Subscribers in a service area share the cable:

• Bandwidth shortage (can be resolved by the cable operator)
• Security issues (can be resolved by the cable modem)
Provisioning a Cable
Modem
Process for Provisioning a Cable Modem
Process for Provisioning a Cable Modem
Process for Provisioning a Cable Modem
Process for Provisioning a Cable Modem
Process for Provisioning a Cable Modem
Process for Provisioning a Cable Modem
Process for Provisioning a Cable Modem
Process for Provisioning a Cable Modem
Summary

• Main cable system components are headend, transportation network,

distribution network, and subscriber drop.
• The cable system standards include NTSC, PAL, and SECAM.
• The term “cable” describes the use of a coaxial cable for signal transmission.
• Cable system architecture provides a cost-effective “broadcast” architecture
cascaded to users.
• A cable system supports multiple services: analog and digital video, voice,
and data.
• DOCSIS is the cable service interface standard for data carried across RF
interfaces.
• The DOCSIS CMTS communicates through channels with cable modems
located in subscriber homes.
Summary (Cont.)

• An RF spectrum is defined for the downstream and upstream

paths.
• The HFC architecture consists of fiber and coaxial cabling,
which carry RF signals toward the subscriber.
• Fiber is used to overcome the limitations of the trunk coaxial
cable.
• Users share bandwidth in the service area.
• The cable modem provisioning process is defined by
DOCSIS.