CableLabs® Creating Advanced Modem Spec to Enable 27 Mbps in Upstream
Louisville, Colorado, August 31, 2001—Cable Television Laboratories Inc. (CableLabs®)
will create a new version of the Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification
(DOCSIS™) this year that will incorporate advanced physical layer modulation techniques.
The next version of the specification, to be called DOCSIS 2.0, will significantly
increase cable bandwidth for data transmissions without requiring any physical rebuilding
of cable networks.
Since November 1998, CableLabs and its membership have worked with a number of manufacturers,
including silicon vendors such as Broadcom Corporation, Conexant Systems, Pacific
Broadband Communications, Terayon Corporation, and Texas Instruments, to advance
this concept from the theoretical stage.
Specifically, DOCSIS 2.0 will include two modulation techniques: S-CDMA (synchronous
code division multiple access) and A-TDMA (advanced frequency agile time division
multiple access). DOCSIS 2.0 will have the following characteristics:
- Full compatibility with DOCSIS 1.0 and 1.1 cable modems (CMs) and cable
modem termination systems (CMTSs).
- Additional channel capacity in the form of more digital bits of throughput
capacity in the upstream path.
- Increased protection against electronic impairments that occur in cable
systems, allowing for a more robust operating environment.
- Coexistence of S-CDMA and A-TDMA in the same physical channel as DOCSIS
1.0/1.1.
- Further enhance and augment the international DOCSIS standard (ITU J-112),
which has been adopted world-wide and provides international interoperability
of data signals.
CableLabs will begin developing the DOCSIS 2.0 specification immediately, a process
to be completed by year-end. Consistent with its open process, CableLabs will seek
the involvement of any contributing vendor that wishes to participate in the development
of the specification. CableLabs will run interoperability waves in its laboratories
for vendors that have prototype implementations of DOCSIS 2.0 CMs or CMTSs. And,
consistent with past practice in DOCSIS, suppliers will work with CableLabs to develop
necessary automated test execution packages and equipment that will be used to perform
interoperability, certification, and qualification of the products.
"DOCSIS 2.0 represents another successful collaboration among CableLabs, manufacturers,
and developers. The net result of this effort will be to continue our progress in
bringing the most advanced broadband technology into the homes of our cable customers,"
said Joseph Collins, Chairman of the CableLabs Board of Directors.
"This advanced physical layer process will ensure that the cable industry will increase
its market-leading position in the delivery of high-speed data services through
the continued success of our DOCSIS program," said Dr. Richard R. Green, President
and CEO of CableLabs. "DOCSIS 2.0 will provide the cable operator with increased
data throughput, as well as enhanced noise immunity, through a choice of advanced
modulation protocols," Green added.
Said Rouzbeh Yassini, CableLabs Executive Consultant, who is running the CableLabs
cable modem initiative: "The cable industry requires this 2.0 version of the specification
to be completed this year. We not only can accomplish this objective, but we also
intend to have our modem project ready to accept any DOCSIS 2.0 devices for certification
and qualification in 2002."
The current DOCSIS 1.0 technology provides about five megabits per second of throughput
capacity upstream per six megahertz (MHz) cable channel over cable hybrid fiber/coax
networks. The pending DOCSIS 1.1 technology, for which modems are currently undergoing
certification testing, provides 10 Mbps upstream. DOCSIS 2.0 will provide up to
27 Mbps of upstream per 6 MHz.
About CableLabs: Cable Television Laboratories (www.cablelabs.com) was founded in
1988 by members of the cable television industry. A non-profit research and development
consortium, CableLabs delivers innovations that enable cable operators to be the
providers of choice in their markets. Cable operators from around the world are
members. CableLabs maintains additional web sites at www.cablenet.org, www.ebif.tv
and www.tru2way.com.
CableLabs® is a registered trademark of Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. Other
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