The DVB-C standard EN 300 429 describes the framing structure, channel coding, and modulation for digital multiprogram television distribution by cable. It describes a system based on the MPEG-2 system layer ISO/ IEC 13818-1, which is harmonized with the transmission standard for satellite, with the addition of an appropriate forward error correction (FEC) technique.
This DVB-C system can be used transparently with the modulation/channel coding system implemented for digital multiprogram television by satellite (see EN 300 421). It is based on quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM). It allows for 16QAM, 32QAM, or 64QAM constellations and permits future extensions to higher constellations such as 128QAM and 256QAM.
The system FEC is designed to improve the bit error ratio (BER) from 10-4 to a range of 10-10 to 10-11, ensuring quasi-error-free (QEF) operation with approximately one uncorrected error event per transmission hour.