Cable operators and programmers began providing HDTV services in 2002, and deployment quickly progressed. As of December 1, 2003, 70 million U.S. television households were passed by a cable system that offers HDTV, growth of nearly 90 percent since the beginning of that year when HD was available to 37 million households.

Almost a year later, as of September 1, 2004, 90 million U.S. television households were passed by HD service.

By March 2007, 100 million U.S. television households were passed by at least one cable system offering HDTV service, which represents all of the top 100 designated market areas (DMAs). Of all DMAs, a total of 209 markets (out of 210) were served by at least one cable system that offers high-definition programming.

Local cable systems also were carrying the digital signal of 999 unique broadcast stations in March 2007, nine-and-a-half times the amount in January 2003, when 92 such stations were carried.