HFC - How it works
HFC (Hybrid Fibre Coaxial) is a network technology developed by the cable TV industry that allows two-way, high-speed broadband content (video, voice and data) to be delivered to the home using a combination of fibre and coaxial cable.
What is HFC?
HFC (Hybrid Fibre Coaxial) is a network technology developed by the cable TV industry that allows two-way, high-speed broadband content (video, voice and data) to be delivered to the home using a combination of fibre and coaxial cable.
HFC is widespread across a number of areas of metropolitan Australia – if you or your neighbour has Foxtel via cable there is a good chance you live in the HFC footprint.
Why are we using it?
There are more than three million Australian homes and businesses that sit inside the covered by HFC technology footprint.
Rather than build another broadband network over the top of these existing HFC networks, we plan to progressively acquire HFC assets and upgrade the networks to deliver high speed broadband.*
The purpose of this approach is to enable families and businesses to access high speed broadband faster than previously anticipated, with less disruption to the community and at less cost to you the tax payer.
What are we announcing today?
Many homes and businesses within HFC areas have connections to the network. We plan to trial HFC construction techniques and processes to help decide the best and most efficient way to connect the remaining homes.
This is designed to allow more people to access high speed broadband sooner when we commercially launch our HFC product to our customers – the phone and internet companies – in 2016.
* The agreements with Telstra and Optus to acquire HFC assets are subject to the satisfaction of a number of conditions precedent.
This post was last updated on November 16 at 12:40 pm.