<communications, hardware> A type of modem that allows
people to access the Internet via their cable television
service.
A cable modem can transfer data at 500 kbps or higher,
compared with 28.8 kbps for common telephone line modems, but
the actual transfer rates may be lower depending on the number
of other simultaneous users on the same cable.
Industry pundits often point out that the cable system still
does not have the bandwidth or service level in many areas
to make this feasible. For example, it has to be capable of
two-way communication.
See also: DOCSIS.
(2000-12-19)
Nearby terms:
c68 « CA « ca « cable modem » cache » cache block » cache coherency
