In U.S. telecommunications,Local access and transport area (LATA) refers to a geographical area in the U.S. which is allocated to telephone companies. The telephone companies, legally termed as local exchange carriers (LECs) provide telecommunication services, within the allotted areas. A LATA may be within the same U.S. state or may span across more than one state, as laid down in Telecommunications Act of 1996. Two types of connections are possible. IntraLATA − It is a connection between two LECs within the LATA. InterLATA − It is a connection providing long-distance service between LECs in different LATAs.

Definitions Cable − Cable network is a system of providing varied services like television programming, FM programming, Internet and telephone services over existing cable TV network. ADSL − Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) is a type of broadband communications technology to transmit digital data at a high bandwidth on existing phone lines to homes and businesses. Fiber − Fiber or Fiber to the home (FTTH) is a technology to deploy optical fibers in the local loop of the telephone networks to the users home for providing high-speed data connectivity. Comparisons Wires Cable − They use the copper coaxial ... Read More

A network interface device (NID), also called network interface unit (NIU), is an interface between the network provider's local loop and the customer. These are present as grey boxes outside customer's premises, where the data wires of the phone company or the network provider ends and the customer's wiring begins. Diagrammatic Representation Features NID demarcates between provider's connection and customer's connection. Maintenance of wiring of the local loop up to the NID is the responsibility of the phone provider, while maintenance of wiring from the NID to the customer premises is the responsibility of the customer. NID protects ... Read More

Definitions Circuit Switched Networks − Circuit switched networks are connection-oriented networks. Here, a dedicated route is established between the source and the destination and the entire message is transferred through it. Packet Switched Networks − Packet switched networks are connectionless networks. Here, the message is divided and grouped into a number of units called packets that are individually routed from the source to the destination. Comparisons Differences with respect to technology Serial Number Circuit – Switching Packet – Switching 1 It is a connection oriented network switching technique. It is a connectionless network switching technique. ... Read More

ADSL −Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) is a type of broadband communications technology to transmit digital data at a high bandwidth on existing phone lines to homes and businesses.Cable − Cable network is a system of providing varied services like television programming, FM programming, Internet and telephone services over existing cable TV network.Comparison of ADSL and Cable NetworksADSL uses the existing telephone lines for providing data, voice and multimedia services, while cable uses existing cable TV networks to provide similar services.Both ADSL and cable networks use fiber optic cables in their backbone. However, in the customer end, cable network uses ... Read More

Data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) is an international telecommunications standard to provide high speed data to cable TV system over its existing hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) infrastructure. It is used for providing cable Internet access as well as supporting high definition televisions. Versions of DOCSIS DOSCIS 1.0 − It was the first version for cable modem system DOSCIS 2.0 − It enhanced upstream data from computer to the operator to allow services requiring equal data transfer in both uplink and downlink, like IP telephony. DOSCIS 3.0 − It supports IPv6 standard. It is marked by increase in transmission ... Read More

Cable modem termination system (CMTS) is a hardware device at the headend of a cable TV network that is used to connect cable subscribers to the Internet Service Provider (ISP). They provide high speed data services like Internet or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) over the cable TV network. Functions CMTS has both radio frequency interfaces and Ethernet interfaces. It transmits and receives user data packets to and from the cable modem attached to the subscriber through HFC network. It then converts them to Internet Protocol packets (IP packets) and routes them to the concerned Internet Service ... Read More

Cable modem is a hardware device that is used to connect the computer with the Internet Service Provider (ISP) through the local cable TV line. It has two interfaces – one to the cable TV network outlet and the other to a computer or television or set-top box. Configuration Cable modems used to be proprietary in the initial days and had to be installed by the cable company. Nowadays, cable modems of open standards are available that can be personally installed by the user. The standard is called Data Over Cable Service Interface Spectrum (DOSCIS). The modem to computer interface ... Read More

Cable Internet is a category of broadband Internet access that uses the infrastructure of cable TV network to provide Internet services. Cable Internet provides connectivity from the Internet service provider (ISP) to the end users in a similar manner as digital subscriber line (DSL) and fiber-to-the-home (FTTH). System Layout Broadband cable Internet access has a cable modem termination system (CMTS) at a cable operator facility, called a headend. Headend is connected to switching centers by high bandwidth fiber trunk. Each switching center is connected to one or more fiber nodes through fiber optic cables. The local coaxial cable ... Read More

Cable television in their early days were called Community Antenna Television (CATV) or sometimes as Community Access Television. It was originally conceived as a method to provide cable TV services to rural areas and hilly terrains. The subscribers who want to avail the cable TV services need to pay a specified monthly subscription charge as well as an initial establishment charge. System Layout The system comprises of a big sized community antenna, installed on a hilltop that can receive broadcast signals from communication satellites. The signals received are amplified, corrected and strengthened by a device attached to the antenna, popularly ... Read More