More and more cable TV operators decide to deploy the DOCSIS 3.0 I-CMTS data transmission system. The advantages of this solution have been noticed and appreciated by another Polish company – Sileman from Ruda Śląska – which, in cooperation with VECTOR, has deployed the system in own projects.
The DOCSIS 3.0 I-CMTS data transmission system allows you to offer Internet access services with data rates higher than 100 Mb/s and to use the IP protocol for video transmission (IPTV services). The new DOCSIS 3.0 standard helps the operator to reduce operational expenditures: the power consumption is reduced while the density, scalability and efficiency of the solution are increased.
Sileman together with ELSAT and SFERA TV is a part of the Silesian Multimedia Group. Sileman is an Internet and telephony provider in four towns: Ruda Śląska, Bytom, Mikołów and Radzionków. The company offers the services based on the backbone fiber network which is 80 km long and on the dedicated microwave links. The subscribers may access the services via Ethernet or the ELSAT cable TV network.
A very important element of the DOCSIS 3.0 standard is a CMTS controlling the subscriber cable modem operation. Sileman has two CMTS devices installed by VECTOR. The devices are ARRIS C4 cable modem controllers for advanced IP services. ARRIS C4 allows the operator offering the advanced services of telephony, data and video transmission through the convergent IP network for individual and business customers.
The possibilities offered by the new system are recognized by more and more companies offering telephony, TV and Internet services. The new deployments of the solution entitle us to say that the DOCSIS 3.0 system is a success in the Polish market.
source: VECTOR
In February 2009 VECTOR together with the telecom operator PETRUS for the first time deployed the fast data transmission system based on DOCSIS 3.0 I-CMTS.
The deployment included the creation of the migration plan as well as the system and network configuration for DOCSIS 3.0. In the next phase the old system was replaced by the new one.
The PETRUS company is active in a few towns in the central and northern Poland (Chojnice, Toruń, Człuchów, Miastko, Bytów, Czersk and Tuchola) where it offers services for several dozen thousand of subscribers. PETRUS belongs to the very exclusive club of companies which offer the Quadruple Play service (“four in one” – analog TV + digital TV + Internet + telephone).
“Among many advantages of introducing the DOCSIS 3.0 system in our company the most important one is the reduction of the transmission cost per one subscriber and the flexible configuration of downstream and upstream purchase. The introduced DOCSIS 3.0 standard allows us offering very fast data transmission services – up to 200 Mb/s for one subscriber”, said Mr. Marcin Granowski, the PETRUS Project Coordinator.
The key element of the DOCSIS 3.0 standard is CMTS, which controls subscriber cable modems. PETRUS has ARRIS C4 controllers installed by VECTOR. ARRIS C4 allows the operator offering advanced services of telephony, data and video transmission via convergent IP network for business and individual customers. VECTOR will deploy the DOCSIS 3.0 for other telecom operators in the near future.
source: VECTOR
DOCSIS 3.0 (sometimes DOCSIS 3) is a standard developed by CableLabs to upgrade Hybrid Fiber Coax (HFC) networks to deliver high bandwidth broadband Internet service. It is used by MSOs (cable TV companies) to compete against Telcos using FTTH and FTTN/FTTC with VDSL2. DOCSIS 3 is estimated to cost approximately $70 per subscriber in addition to the cost of a new DOCSIS 3 compliant cable modem required on the subscriber premises, which is inline with the cost of installing DSL in an existing OutSide Plant (OSP) cabinet. What DOCSIS avoids is drastic upgrades to an HFC network, and this is its fundamental appeal. Cable companies can deliver very high Internet access bandwidth for very little additional investment with the various DOCSIS standards, especially DOCSIS 3.
The most important thing about DOCSIS 3.0 is bonding cable TV channels for more bandwidth. Previous versions of DOCSIS only used a single channel and were limited in their throughput. With 4 channels, rates of about 160/120Mbps are possible. With 8 channels, rates of 320/120Mbps are possible. Of course, the cable companies with have to give up these analog video channels to devote them to DOCSIS 3.0, but this can be done incrementally, and it does not have to be done throughout the network all at once.
The equipment required to deliver DOCSIS 3.0 services is the Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS) and the DOCSIS 3.0 cable modems on each subscriber premises. Both must be upgraded to support DOCSIS 3.0 over an existing HFC network, shown below before an upgrade. Note that the HFC network is unchanged with the upgrade to DOCSIS 3.0. The only change is in equipment that is installed in the headend and on the subscriber premises.
Source: fttxtra
Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification(DOCSIS), developed by CableLabs and approved by the ITU, defines interface requirements for cable modems involved in high-speed data distribution (both MPEG and IP data) over cable television system networks. Other devices that recognize and support the DOCSIS standard include HDTVs and Web enabled set-top boxes for regular televisions.
There are two key components in the DOCSIS architecture: Cable Modem (CM) which is located at the customer premise, and Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS), which is located at the headend of service providers and used to aggregate traffic from multiple Cable Modems and then communicate with the backbone network. DOCSIS specifies modulation schemes and the protocol for exchanging bidirectional signals between these two components over cable.
There are three versions of DOCSIS implemented and deployed now:
DOCSIS 1.0 - High Speed Internet Access. Key features: Downstream traffic transfer rates between 27 and 36 Mbps over a radio frequency (RF) path in the 50 MHz to 750+ MHz range, and upstream traffic transfer rates between 320 Kbps and 10 Mbps (Average 5 Mbps) over a RF path between 5 and 42 MHz. But, because data over cable travels on a shared loop, individuals will see transfer rates drop as more users gain access.
DOCSIS 1.1 - Data, Voice, Gaming and Streaming. Key features: DOSCIS 1.1 is interoperable with DOCSIS 1.0. It enhanced QoS for multiple services such as voice and streaming; Improved security over DOCSIS 1.0; and more robust upstream data transmission (average 10 Mbps).
DOCSIS 2.0 - Added capacity for symmetric services by operating at 64 QAM and having new 6.4 MHz wide channel. It increased bandwidth for IP traffic by using enhanced modulation and improved error correction. The result for upstream transmission is 30 Mbps, which is 3 times better than DOCSIS 1.1 and 6 times than DOSCIS 1.0. DOSCIS 2.0 is interoperable and backward compatible with DOCSIS 1.x.
The latest DOCSIS specification eDOCSIS has been published to the industry. eDOCSIS stands for embedded DOCSIS, which would provide a subordinate function at the core chip level to the host device. And, rather than leveraging a home networking protocol, an eDOCSIS device would feed directly into a cable network’s DOCSIS channel. eDOCSIS is intended to solve end device (and traffic) management, configuration and security issues to significantly reduce cost in the service operation and to improve speed and quality of end customer services.
source: javvin
Asta-Net is the next cable TV operator which introduces DOCSIS 3.0 I-CMTS in cooperation with VECTOR.
The DOCSIS 3.0 I-CMTS data transmission system allows offering the Internet access services with data speed higher than 100 Mbit/s. It also makes possible to use the IP protocol for video transmission (IPTV services). The new system reduces the operational costs of cable TV operators by the power reduction and increases efficiency and reliability of the solution. It reduces the cost per each Mb of the network traffic.
Astra-Net has appreciated the advantages of DOCSIS 3.0. The company has been present in the Wielkopolska district since 1989. The company offers services in the area of cable TV, broadband Internet access, digital TV and telephony. The offered products have the highest quality and are based on the latest technological solutions responding for increasing customer needs.
“The deployment of the DOCSIS 3.0 system will allow us to offer fast data transmission services up to 200 Mbit/s and to broaden our offer with new services responding for needs of more and more demanding customers. Our competitiveness will be higher thanks to the deployed system. The reduction of the transmission cost is also very important for us, as well as the flexibility of downstream and upstream configuration”, said Mr. Zbigniew Ryczek, the President of the Astra-Net board of directors.
The DOCSIS 3.0 I-CMTS fast data transmission system arouses interest of cable operators offering TV, data and telephone services. VECTOR will be informing about the system introduction by the next cable operators.
source: VECTOR
The sale of the ARRIS I-CMTS solution was conducted with the assistance of ARRIS Value-Added Resellers Net One Systems and KDDI.
Japan Cablenet selected the ARRIS Cable Modem Termination System solution in 2009 to deliver ultra-fast wideband data service to its customers. The ARRIS CMTS solution consists of the DOCSIS 3.0-qualified C4 CMTS and DOCSIS 3.0-certified WBM760C wideband modems, capable of delivering data speeds up to 160 Mbps, along with carrier-grade voice service. The technology is based on the DOCSIS 3.0 standard that supports both Upstream and Downstream channel bonding capabilities.
The ”Speed Star 160” rollout is especially significant in that it incorporates what is believed to be the industry’s first deployed service using Upstream Channel Bonding technology, which greatly enhances data rates. This technology not only greatly increases data throughput speeds to customers, but also ensures greater network reliability through noise reduction.
“We are very excited to be the first network in Japan, if not the world, to deploy Upstream Channel Bonding for our High Speed Data customers,” said JCN General Manager of business planning department and DOCSIS3.0 project manager, Hiroyoshi Takeyama. “This critical feature will make activities like the sharing of family pictures, home movies or other user-generated content a far more satisfying experience for our subscribers. It is our mission to provide our customers with the world’s fastest, most secure and most reliable super high-speed data service.”
source: lightreading.com
CableLabs® has awarded certification status for Data over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS®) 3.0 cable modems to Ambit, Arris, Cisco, Motorola for two modems; and SMC. This represents the first certification of DOCSIS 3.0 cable modems. CableLabs also awarded “full” qualification status for Cable Modem Termination Systems (CMTS) to Casa Systems for two devices. This is the first qualification of a DOCSIS 3.0 CMTS representing “full” or complete compliance with all requirements of the DOCSIS 3.0 specification for headends. Motorola received bronze qualification for its CMTS.
“We have now achieved successful certification testing for a system of very high-speed cable data products,” said Brian L. Roberts, Chairman and CEO of Comcast Corp., and Chairman of the CableLabs Board of Directors. “This is a great accomplishment, ensuring that cable customers will continue to have access to the fastest Internet service available, along with access to more advanced service offerings,” he added.
“Congratulations to the successful vendors and to the CableLabs staff who have worked so hard to help our industry bring the goals and objectives of the DOCSIS 3.0 project to fruition,” said CableLabs President and CEO Dr. Richard R. Green. “This is a great success for our industry and demonstrates how adopting a flexible program can speed solutions to our industry.”
DOCSIS 3.0 achieves the higher data rates through channel bonding in both the upstream and downstream directions. In addition, DOCSIS 3.0 is backward compatible with all existing DOCSIS products. Another key element of DOCSIS 3.0 is Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6). IPv6 also will allow cable operators to effectively manage the proliferation of devices that are capturing consumer interest, including portable media players, cellular phones, gaming consoles, PDAs and others.
The headends were tested under a tiered program that was created as a way to encourage CMTS makers to submit gear for testing earlier than they otherwise might have done. CableLabs also offered suppliers numerous informal interoperability events where vendors worked together in CableLabs’ facilities to test and evaluate their implementations of the specifications.
The three-tiered program for CMTS qualification—bronze, silver and full—progressively scales compliance with some of the more long term DOCSIS 3.0 CMTS requirements. DOCSIS 3.0 modem testing allows only one level of certification that evaluates compliance with the complete DOCSIS modem specification.
source: cablelabs.com
DOCSIS 3.0 won’t be nirvana for the cable industry, according to the opening keynote speaker today at a Light Reading DOCSIS 3.0 conference in Denver.
“We’re still limited in the upstream channel,” said Rouzbeh Yassini, CEO of YAS Broadband Ventures. “Good job, but no cigar yet. Even 35 Mbps upstream is still not enough.”
Yassini said 100 Mbps shared downstream speeds achieved with DOCSIS 3.0 are peaks, not constants, and today’s applications need constant bit rates.
“If you want to have multiple services and high definition (HD) video, it’s not the ultimate answer as far as our network capacity goes,” Yassini said. “Constant HD needs a constant bit rate.”
Sometimes called the “godfather” of DOCSIS for his role in shepherding the original specification, Yassini stirred things up a bit with his comments.
“I thought Rouzbeh (Yassini) was a bit harsh in terms of the upstream,” said Michael Cookish, a senior director of CMTS product management at Motorola. Cookish agreed that 100 Mbps upstream speeds would be demanded in the commercial services arena within three to five years, but that it would be doable.
To reach the necessary upstream speeds, Cookish recommended: (1) migrate to DOCSIS 2.0; (2) add upstream channels; and (3) split nodes.
As for why consumers will need such high speeds, next generation broadband applications were mentioned, including security systems, building temperature controls and digital signage.
source: cable360.net