August 09, 2006
CableLabs has issued a series of specifications for DOCSIS 3.0. It will enable cable operators to offer significantly higher speeds with downstream data rates of 160 Mbps and upstream data rates of 120 Mbps.
The Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) 3.0, are available at CableLabs. DOCSIS 3.0 features "channel bonding", which enables multiple downstream and upstream channels to be used together at the same time by a single subscriber.
To achieve these higher data rates DOCSIS 3.0 describes a methodology for channel bonding in both the upstream and downstream directions. DOCSIS 3.0 also incorporates support for the Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) and greatly expands the number of Internet addresses that cable operators may use.
Generally speaking, each 6 MHz channel set aside for data can support an additional 40 Mbps down and 30 Mbps up. The new specs will also support "partial feature compliance" to DOCSIS 3.0.
That option, DOCSIS 2.0b, will be available for DOCSIS 1.1 or 2.0 cable modem equipment and cable modem termination systems (CMTSs) that support downstream channel bonding. This test option also is designed to ensure that the equipment is compatible with forthcoming DOCSIS 3.0 equipment.
| DOCSIS version |
DOCSIS
1.0
|
DOCSIS
1.1
|
DOCSIS
2.0
|
DOCSIS
2.X
|
DOCSIS
3.0
|
| Services | |||||
| Broadband Internet |
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
| Tiered services |
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
| VoIP |
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
| Video conferencing |
X
|
X
|
X
|
||
| Commercial services |
X
|
X
|
X
|
||
| Roaming services |
X
|
X
|
|||
| Entertainment video |
X
|
||||
| Consumer devices | |||||
| Cable modem |
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
| VoIP phone (MTA) |
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
| Residential gateway |
X
|
X
|
X
|
X
|
|
| Video phone |
X
|
X
|
X
|
||
| Mobile devices |
X
|
X
|
|||
| IP set-top box |
X
|
||||
| Downstream bandwidth | |||||
| Mbps/channel |
40
|
40
|
40
|
40
|
200
|
| Gbps/node |
5
|
5
|
5
|
5
|
6.3
|
| Upstream bandwidth | |||||
| Mbps/channel |
10
|
10
|
30
|
30
|
100
|
| Mbps/node |
80
|
80
|
170
|
170
|
450
|
|
Source: CableLabs
|
|||||
In the U.S., cable operators are facing pockets of Fiber To The Premises (FTTP) competition, primarily from Verizon, but whether DOCSIS 2.0 is enough for now, or if downstream channel bonding techniques should be applied before DOCSIS 3.0 becomes commercially available is still uncertain.
There is only so much bandwidth available on coax. Usually it's 750-860 Mhz. Bonding channels could take out some analog (or digital) cable television tiers. That might require a digital cable box for consumers.
CableLabs will begin to conduct interops, certifications and qualification testing against DOCSIS 3.0 products "whenever suppliers are ready, as is our normal position," said CableLabs VP of Broadband Access Michelle Kuska, in a statement.
Big Band is a proponent of switched video. Rather than direct all programs to all areas at all times, a switched broadcast system only provides those programs requested by STBs in each node, freeing dramatic bandwidth to expand programming and other service offerings.
A single head-end computer can monitor and manage all switched broadcast sessions in a cable system. The only significant new hardware requirement is deployment of switches capable of receiving abundant programs over existing high-capacity optical networks, and directing each program towards the appropriate node.
A cable or phone provider can virtually remove capacity limits with switched broadcast. IPTV can support scheduled programming, video on demand and a practically unlimited number of TV channels and video content. IP-TV also enables a range of interactive features, allowing viewers to purchase products shown in a TV program by using Web-browsing functions built into the TV programming itself.
U.S. cable operators have over 73 million TV subscribers, generating revenues of nearly $60 billion per annum," says Analysys, a research firm. DirecTV, the nation's largest satellite broadcaster, has more than 15 million customers while EchoStar serves more than 11.71 million satellite TV customers through its DISH Network.
SBC and Verizon plan an End Game, cherry picking FTTH subs and spending big on infrastructure (until the money runs out).
DTV is another area of potential growth. There will be 11.8 million holdout over-the-air TV households at year-end 2008 who will need DTV converters. The Senate Commerce Committee bill sets aside $3 billion while a separate House of Representatives bill allotted $990 million, or $830 million after administrative expenses for subsidizing DTV settops. The cost of the converters was pegged at $60/each with the subsidies covering only $40. Kagan reviews The State of HDTV.
C/Net, Cable Digital News, Om Malik, EE Times, Business Week, Infoworld, E-Week and Telephony have more.
Executives at the TechNet Innovation Summit in San Jose say this whole Internet thing is still just beginning. Faster access means more industry growth. Says Netflix CEO Reed Hastings: "Web 2.0 is broadband. Web 3.0 is 10 gigabits a second."
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