Cable Television

Cable television is television by wire. A cable television system is a communication system that distributes broadcast and satellite-delivered programming by means of coaxial and/or fiber optic cable to people’s homes. This chapter looks at the business of cable television with a special emphasis given to industry structure as well as strategy decision-making. In cable television, there are two primary players. They include:

The Cable Operator

The Program Supplier (broadcast television and dedicated cable services)

Broadband Delivery

The term broadband refers to high-speed Internet access and multichannel television to the home. Broadband is the great infrastructure challenge of the twenty-first century. Like electricity a century ago, broadband is a foundation for economic growth, job creation, global competitiveness and enhanced quality of living. It is enabling entire new industries and unlocking vast possibilities for the future.

It is changing how we educate children, deliver health care, manage energy, ensure public safety, engage government and disseminate new knowledge. Within the cable television industry, high-speed Internet delivery has surpassed multichannel television in terms of actual subscriber numbers.

Smart Homes

The cable industry is undergoing a major redefinition as to its core business. The term smart home can be used to describe a residential dwelling (house, condominium or apartment) that is equipped with communication technology that makes possible a whole host of utility and value-added services, including: multichannel television, high-speed Internet access Internet residential connectivity (i.e., the Internet of Things), residential security systems, and energy monitoring to name only a few. In sum, broadband delivery provides the foundation for smart home design.