Status Report on EIA Broadband Modem Standards

Interest in the distribution of data via two-way CATV cable networks has been a topic at NCTA conventions for over ten years. However, only a very limited amount of hardware and associated application software has actually been implemented on CATV systems over this period of time. The technology has, nevertheless, undergone extens-ive development and practical utilization. This activity has taken place primarily in the industrial environment rather th.an within the CATV industry which originally developed the- broadband cable technology. Large scale production plants (in the order of one to two million square feet) recognized the need for an economical medium which. would permit the distribution of high speed data throughout the plant without the need for running individual twisted pairs in conduit. There was also a need for audio and television distribution but to a lesser degree. Various manufact ueers responded to this requirement by developing and marketing data modems to thie industrial and commercial world. In this process each modem vendor and user was utilizing the cable bandwidth in a different manner. The potential conflicts and incompatibilities were becoming evident to the growing number of users and modem vendors. As a result, the Broadband Committee of the EIA (Electronic Industry Association) established in May 1978 a technical committee TR 40.1 to develop standard for industrial and commerical modems which interface to the broadband CATV coax.