Communication system with proactive network maintenance and methods for use therewith

A cable modem termination system (CMTS) that communicates with a cable modem via a cable plant, the cable modem termination system comprising:

• a data processing module configured to generate a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) symbols of a data packet, to capture a full OFDM symbol as first capture data and to generate a physical layer link channel (PLC) message block for the data packet that indicates location of the full OFDM symbol in the data packet via a symbol select field;
• and
• a modulator configured to generate an RF signal from the plurality of OFDM symbols and the PLC message block for transmission via a downstream channel to the cable modem;
• wherein the cable modem receives the data packet via the downstream channel, and wherein the receiving includes determining the location of the full OFDM symbol in the data packet via the symbol select field of the PLC message block and capturing the full OFDM symbol as second capture data.

A method comprising:

• generating, via a cable modem termination system, a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) symbols of a data packet;
• capturing, via the cable modem termination system, a full OFDM symbol as first capture data;
• generating, via the cable modem termination system, a physical layer link channel (PLC) message block for the data packet that indicates location of the full OFDM symbol in the data packet via a symbol select field;
• and
• generate, via the cable modem termination system, an RF signal from the plurality of OFDM symbols and the PLC message block for transmission via a downstream channel to a cable modem;
• and
• receiving from the cable modem, via the cable modem termination system, second capture data generated by the cable modem by capturing the full OFDM symbol, wherein the cable modem determines the location of the full OFDM symbol in the data packet via the symbol select field of the PLC message block.