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A modem enabling the connection of a pc to a
local cable television line. Cable modems provide fast, always-on
connections to the internet in areas where the necessary coaxial cable has
been laid. They can theoretically achieve data-transfer speeds of up to
30mbps, but in practice they are limited by the speed of an Isp's internet
gateway and the unwillingness of consumers to pay for more
bandwidth than they need. Most European systems provide a data-transfer
rate closer to 1.5mbps, still much faster than prevalent modems or isdn
lines, although this is shared between all local users of the cable. |