First Mile Access Networks and Enabling Technologies

Hybrid Fiber Coaxial Plant as a Possible First Mile Access Solution

The rapid growth of cable technology for TV broadcasting was an important step in giving users a plethora of communication spectrums. Cable or coaxial cable technology supports wider bandwidth than the PSTN. Therefore, cable can be used for broadband communication in the last mile, particularly in the last inch. Cable modems were soon available on the market, and this form of broadband access became quite popular in areas where service providers provided broadband over coaxial cable. However, cable itself—that is, coaxial cable—has one limitation: It is prone to severe attenuation with distance. This means that an end-to-end cable solution is not possible. Present deployment ...