Summary: Delivering Cable Services

Read the summary and the most important questions on Delivering Cable Services

• Lesson 1: Technology Overview

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• What are the major sources of programming

  1. Over-the-air
  2. terrestrial microwave
  3. direct cable feed
  4. satellites
  5. local origination programming

• What require franchise agreements frequently?

  Require the cable operator to provide one or more channels for educational and local government use

• What provide the CMTS (cable modem termination system?

  The cable network interface with internet and the PSTN

• What are the 3 main elements of a broadband cable network?

  1. Headend
  2. the distribution network, composed of coaxial cable and fiber optic cable
  3. the drop at the customer premises

• What happens with each sources signals in the headend?

  is added to one of the many outgoing RF carriers in a process called modulation

• Which challenges do traditional coaxial tree and branch architectures present?

  1. Any service problem or outage affect all of the customer downstream from the problem and preventive maintenance can affect network
  2. Funnel effect. All upstream is collected back to a single point, it impossible to differentiate desired information from all information collected back at the headend.
  3. Coaxial Cable Distribution require amplifiers at intervals 2000 feet and practical limit of 15 miles in any direction

• In a broadband cable network, what group is responsible for ensuring that the network remains in smooth running order by dispatching crews to carry out routine system testing, preventative maintenance, and equipment servicing and replacement?

  The network operations staff (NOC)

• The cable operator's network operating center (NOC) maintains an overview of the cable system, including system-required maintenance. What routine preventative maintenance does the operator perform?

  Preventative procedures performed by the cable operator include: (1) checking all standby power supplies; (2) balancing amplifier levels; and (3) sweeping the system to ensure amplifier operations are within specified signal levels and frequency responses.

• Due to the variety of installation conditions that the broadband cable technician faces in the field, safety hazards are inevitable. List several of the safety hazards that a field technician could face.

  There are many hazards that the technician could encounter in the field including high-voltage electrical wires, working aloft, dangers in crawl spaces and on poles, improper handling of the company vehicle, and the unpredictability of dogs, fences, and inclement weather.

• What are the different administrative jobs that are held within a cable company?

  In addition to the technicians and field technicians, cable companies also employ customer service managers, customer service representatives (CSR), public relations and training staff, advertising representatives, data processing employees, direct sales representatives, and marketing department staff, dispatchers, and production department staff.