Coaxial cable distribution of CATV and wireless signals

A method for distributing signals from a first communications network and a second communications network to a plurality of locations within a region, comprising:

• receiving from the first communications network a signal at a base transceiver station at the region and converting the signal into an RF signal suitable for transmission to a mobile terminal and having an RF frequency above a threshold frequency;
• receiving a data signal having an RF frequency below the threshold frequency from the second communications network;
• combining the RF signal and the data signal into a combined signal with the RF signal and data signal each retaining their respective original frequencies within the combined signal;
• and
• providing the combined signal over a plurality of coaxial cable links to a plurality of locations within the region, the combined signal received by a cable/wireless interface at each of said plurality of locations,
• wherein a forward path signal sensing module of the cable/wireless interface deactivates an RF element of the cable/wireless interface when the forward path signal sensing module determines a strength of the RF signal separated out from the combined signal to be below a threshold signal strength.

A system for combining signals from a first communications network and a second communications network, comprising:

• a coupling module configured to:
• derive an RF signal from the first communications network and a data signal from the second communications network, the data signal having an RF frequency below that of the RF signal;
• combine the RF signal and the data signal into a combined signal with the RF signal and data signal each retaining their respective frequency spectrums;
• and
• provide the combined signal over a coaxial cable link to a receiving device,
• wherein a forward path signal sensing module of the receiving device deactivates an RF element of the receiving device when the forward path signal sensing module determines a strength of the RF signal separated out from the combined signal to be below a threshold signal strength.