NCTA’s history reflects the evolution of cable and broadband in America. From its founding in the early days of community antenna TV to its role in shaping internet and television policy, this timeline highlights key moments that defined the industry and our leadership within it.
To improve TV reception in areas with poor over-the-air signals, the first cable television systems were set up in Arkansas, Oregon, and Pennsylvania in 1948. Receivers were placed on mountains and hilltops, while cables ran down to homes in valleys. Homes could now get signals from farther away, giving them more programming choices. An industry was born.
Photo credits: Interior view of laboratory of Ken Simons in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania. Courtesy of Barco Library, The Cable Center.
Photo credits: Construction in The Dalles, Oregon, 1954. Courtesy of NCTA Archives.
Photo credits: (Left) Master antenna headend in Meadville, Pennsylvania, 1950s; (Top right) Antenna construction, 1950s; (Bottom right) Antenna raising in Glenside, Pennsylvania, 1950s. Courtesy of NCTA Archives.
By 1962, almost 800 cable systems serving 850,000 subscribers were in business. Big names like Westinghouse saw the promise of cable’s expanding reach. This growth drew attention from policymakers, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) expanded its jurisdiction and began regulating the nascent industry. Cable was no longer just a workaround—it was becoming a powerful part of the media ecosystem.
Photo credit: Entron executives tour FCC Task Force members through CATV equipment testing. Courtesy of the Barco Library, The Cable Center.
In the 1970s, cable became more than a delivery system—it became a creative platform. New TV networks like HBO, C-SPAN, ESPN, and Nickelodeon were founded, reimagining what television could be as viewers got access to sports, live news, entertainment, and more.
Photo credit: HBO became the first television network to continuously deliver its signal via satellite when it transmitted the “Thrilla in Manila” in 1975. Courtesy of Shutterstock.
The 1980s saw even more TV networks emerge and in turn, households subscribed. The number of TV networks tripled, growing from 28 in 1980 to 79 by the end of the decade, while homes reached over 49 million. Cable TV is now a fixture of American life.
Photo credit: C-SPAN camerawoman Roxanne Belair on the roof of the Lincoln Memorial to cover the 1983 Civil Rights March on Washington. Courtesy of the Barco Library, The Cable Center.
Photo credits: (Top left) Teen watching QUBE programming with interactive remote set-top box, 1981. Courtesy of the Barco Library, The Cable Center; (Bottom left) USA Cable Network wrestling attraction at a cable industry trade show. Courtesy of the Barco Library, The Cable Center; (Right) Cable in the Classroom, CNN Challenge. Courtesy of NCTA Archives.
In 1996, residential broadband launched with the introduction of the cable modem, offering speeds far beyond dial-up. Home internet use across the country expanded, and the age of the Internet began.
Home internet networks grew, as did the technology that powered them. Cable providers deployed hybrid-fiber coax, increasing connection speeds and possibilities for what the network could deliver.
New technology developments allow voice, video on demand, HDTV, and DVRs to become available to subscribers. Faster internet speeds and in-home Wi-Fi changed the way Americans connect to information and one another. The internet age truly comes into its own.
By the late 2010s, broadband was essential to everyday life—powering everything from streaming and video calls to remote work and smart homes. Cable operators began offering mobile wireless service through Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) agreements—helping customers save money and simplify connectivity.
In 2019, the industry’s 10G initiative launched, seeking to deliver multi-gigabit speeds and next-generation connectivity to homes across the country.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the world shifted overnight. Much of daily life went remote, and America’s broadband networks performed flawlessly, especially compared to the rest of the world.
At the same time, providers are going farther than ever—extending networks to the most isolated parts of the country, from Minnesota’s rural farmland to Alaska’s far-flung Aleutian Islands. Connecting every home, no matter how far.
Photo credit: Cable workers connect a remote community in Alaska. Courtesy of NCTA.
What began as a way to bring TV to hard-to-reach homes has become the backbone of modern life—powering everything from entertainment and education to healthcare and commerce.
Now, the industry is expanding its reach again. With 10G on the horizon and continued efforts to close the digital divide, cable providers are delivering faster speeds, greater reliability, and access in places once left behind.
The mission remains just as vital today—connect more people, more powerfully, than ever before.
NCTA’s history reflects the evolution of cable and broadband in America. From its founding in the early days of community antenna TV to its role in shaping internet and television policy, this timeline highlights key moments that defined the industry and our leadership within it.
To improve TV reception in areas with poor over-the-air signals, the first cable television systems were set up in Arkansas, Oregon, and Pennsylvania in 1948. Receivers were placed on mountains and hilltops, while cables ran down to homes in valleys. Homes could now get signals from farther away, giving them more programming choices. An industry was born.
Photo credits: Interior view of laboratory of Ken Simons in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania. Courtesy of Barco Library, The Cable Center.
As television’s popularity grew in the early 1950s, the patchwork of small cable systems began to grow—and organize. Initially called the National Community Television Association in 1952, NCTA united early cable operators as the industry expanded into major metropolitan areas.
Photo credits: Construction in The Dalles, Oregon, 1954. Courtesy of NCTA Archives.
Photo credits: (Left) Master antenna headend in Meadville, Pennsylvania, 1950s; (Top right) Antenna construction, 1950s; (Bottom right) Antenna raising in Glenside, Pennsylvania, 1950s. Courtesy of NCTA Archives.
Photo credit: Entron executives tour FCC Task Force members through CATV equipment testing. Courtesy of the Barco Library, The Cable Center.
Photo credit: HBO became the first television network to continuously deliver its signal via satellite when it transmitted the “Thrilla in Manila” in 1975. Courtesy of Shutterstock.
Photo credit: C-SPAN camerawoman Roxanne Belair on the roof of the Lincoln Memorial to cover the 1983 Civil Rights March on Washington. Courtesy of the Barco Library, The Cable Center.
Photo credits: (Top left) Teen watching QUBE programming with interactive remote set-top box, 1981. Courtesy of the Barco Library, The Cable Center; (Bottom left)
USA Cable Network wrestling attraction at a cable industry trade show. Courtesy of the Barco Library, The Cable Center; (Right) Cable in the Classroom, CNN Challenge. Courtesy of NCTA Archives.
In 1996, residential broadband launched with the introduction of the cable modem, offering speeds far beyond dial-up. Home internet use across the country expanded, and the age of the Internet began.
Home internet networks grew, as did the technology that powered them. Cable providers deployed hybrid-fiber coax, increasing connection speeds and possibilities for what the network could deliver.
New technology developments allow voice, video on demand, HDTV, and DVRs to become available to subscribers. Faster internet speeds and in-home Wi-Fi changed the way Americans connect to information and one another. The internet age truly comes into its own.
By the late 2010s, broadband was essential to everyday life—powering everything from streaming and video calls to remote work and smart homes. Cable operators began offering mobile wireless service through Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) agreements—helping customers save money and simplify connectivity.
In 2019, the industry’s 10G initiative launched, seeking to deliver multi-gigabit speeds and next-generation connectivity to homes across the country.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the world shifted overnight. Much of daily life went remote, and America’s broadband networks performed flawlessly, especially compared to the rest of the world.
At the same time, providers are going farther than ever—extending networks to the most isolated parts of the country, from Minnesota’s rural farmland to Alaska’s far-flung Aleutian Islands. Connecting every home, no matter how far.
Photo credit: Cable workers connect a remote community in Alaska. Courtesy of NCTA
What began as a way to bring TV to hard-to-reach homes has become the backbone of modern life—powering everything from entertainment and education to healthcare and commerce.
Now, the industry is expanding its reach again. With 10G on the horizon and continued efforts to close the digital divide, cable providers are delivering faster speeds, greater reliability, and access in places once left behind.
The mission remains just as vital today—connect more people, more powerfully, than ever before.
NCTA – The Internet & Television Association
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(202) 222-2300 | [email protected]
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