Spectral extension in a cable network

A system for cable network communications, the system comprising:

• a cable modem termination system (CMTS);
• a trunk cable coupled to the CMTS;
• a plurality of cable modems (CMs) divided into at least a low frequency CM group and a high frequency CM group, with the high frequency CM group positioned between the CMTS and the low frequency CM group;
• one or more second taps attached to the trunk cable, with corresponding second drop cables coupled to the one or more second taps and further coupled to one or more corresponding CMs of the low frequency CM group;
• and
• a first duplexer tap attached to the trunk cable between the CMTS and the one or more second taps, with a corresponding first drop cable coupled to the first duplexer tap and further coupled to a CM of the high frequency CM group, with the first duplexer tap receiving an input signal from the CMTS and providing a low frequency signal of the input signal to the low frequency CM group and providing a high frequency signal of the input signal to the high frequency CM group.