Cablenet

Cablenet, short for cable network, is a communications infrastructure that uses coaxial and, in many modern deployments, fiber-optic cables to deliver multiple services to subscribers, including television, broadband internet, and voice services. It typically consists of a headend where content is received and processed, a distribution network that carries signals through trunks and feeders, and last-mile connections that reach homes and businesses. Customer premises equipment such as set-top boxes, cable modems, and gateways enable access to the services.

Most contemporary cablenets rely on a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) architecture, with fiber delivering high-capacity signals to nodes near neighborhoods and coaxial cables extending from those nodes to individual subscribers. Television channels are distributed in digital formats, while data services use standardized protocols to run over the same network. The DOCSIS (Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification) standard governs data transmission over cable networks, enabling high-speed internet and IP-based services.

Because the shared medium allocates bandwidth among multiple users in a given segment, experienced speeds can vary with network load and infrastructure quality. Operators address this through network upgrades, such as fiber deeper into the network or to the home (FTTH/FTTP) and improved headend equipment.

Cablenets have historically evolved from analog, one-way television systems to fully digital, converged platforms that combine television, internet, and voice services. They are widely deployed by telecommunications and media companies and regulated by national communications authorities.