CableLabs and EURCableLabs issued a request for information (RFI) seeking product availability for devices that would comply with the Data over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) 3.0, which will enable downstream data rates up to 160 Mbps or higher and upstream data rates up to 120 Mbps or higher.
The RFI specifically seeks information on DOCSIS 3.0 modems, cable modem termination systems (CMTS) and PacketCable embedded multimedia terminal adapters (E-MTAs). It seeks information on what products are being developed to meet the requirements of the DOCSIS 3.0 specifications.
CableLabs said its RFI reflects the importance that the cable television system operators throughout the world place in getting accurate product development and availability information on DOCSIS 3.0 devices from the equipment vendor community.
MSOs participating in the RFI are Advance/Newhouse Communications, Armstrong, Aurora Cable TV; Bend Broadband, Bresnan Communications, Cablevision Systems, Canal Digital Kabel TV AS, Charter Communications, Cogeco Câble; Comcast, ComHem AB, Cox Communications, Essent N.V.; Insight Communications, Kabel Baden-Württemberg GmbH & Co. KG; Kabel Deutschland GmbH; Liberty Global, Inc.; Mediacom Communications Corp.; NetCologne, ntl / TeleWest, ONO, Rogers Communications, Shaw Cablesystems, StarHub, SW Television Oy/Welho, TDC Kabel TV A/S, Telenet, Time Warner Cable; TVCabo Portugal, SA, UPC Broadband, Unity Media, and Vidéotron Ltée.
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- In August 2006, CableLabs officially issued Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) 3.0 — a new set of specifications enabling downstream data rates of 160 Mbps or higher and upstream data rates of 120 Mbps or higher over cable networks. 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 IPv6.
- In July 2006, CableLabs hosted a week long interoperability event to bring together suppliers that have been utilizing the specifications to develop DOCSIS 3.0 products. The interoperability event involved the following companies representing cable modem termination system (CMTS) headend equipment, consumer premise cable modems and test equipment: ARRIS, BigBand Networks, Broadcom Corp., Casa Systems, Conexant Systems, Filtronic Signal Solutions, NETGEAR, Scientific Atlanta a Cisco company, Cisco Linksys, and Cisco Systems.