Which device extends the community antenna television system from the service provider to the customer equipment?

The correct response acknowledges the role of a Community Antenna Television (CATV) system as a method for distributing television signals. In this context, the CATV system serves as the fundamental infrastructure that receives signals from the service provider and disseminates them to individual customers. Its primary function is to gather signals—whether they are terrestrial or satellite—and deliver them through coaxial or fiber-optic cables to households.

The effectiveness of the CATV system relies on its ability to manage signal strength, quality, and clarity, ensuring that customers receive a reliable service. While options like the Optical Network Terminal (ONT), amplifiers, and receivers are all important devices within their respective contexts, they do not directly serve as the basic system that extends service from the provider to the end user in the same manner as the CATV does. The ONT is more commonly associated with fiber-optic networks, amplifiers boost signal strength, and receivers decode the transmitted signals for viewing. However, the CATV system fundamentally starts the process of signal distribution within the community.