What is HFC (Hybrid Fiber Coax) Network Fundamentals

Hybrid Fiber Coax (HFC) is a broadband network architecture that combines fiber optic cables and coaxial cables to deliver internet, television and voice services. HFC networks provide high bandwidth, extensive coverage and cost effective deployment, making them widely used by cable operators and broadband service providers.

The image above illustrates a typical HFC network setup. As you can see, fiber optic cable runs from a distribution center all the way to the area or street where users are located.

From this point, connections to individual users are made using coaxial cables. In a HFC network, the area served from a central or main office can span up to hundreds of kilometers.

Because cascaded amplifiers aren’t usually needed, the signal quality remains strong and doesn’t degrade as much. Before being sent over the fiber cable, signals are multiplexed using subcarrier multiplexing. This allows connection to cables that interface with user premises.