Docsis

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This article describes a concept which could impact a variety of companies, countries or industries. To see what companies and articles reference this concept page, click here.

Docsis is a technology that increases internet download speeds over existing cable TV lines by selectively sending TV channels to viewers as they request them, rather than broadcasting all station signals to everyone at once. The newest version of the standard, Docsis 3.0, can hit speeds of 160 Mbps, although the fastest speed currently sold is a 50 Mbps system by Comcast. ^[1] Traditional DSL which has a speed of 1.5 Mbps.^[2]

Demand for internet bandwith and the capacity to support triple play options has spawned two competing ultra high speed internet technologies - Docsis 3.0, which runs over cable television lines, and Fiber to the Premises which delivers high speed internet through fiber optic cables strung directly to the home. Docsis 3.0 is a relatively new technology. It was developed in late 2006 by CableLabs, but it was first released by Comcast in April, 2008. ^[3] CableLabs is a non-profit R&D organization that created and oversees the Docsis technology. CableLabs must certify cable modems to be used in Docsis systems and must also qualify cable modem termination sytems (CMTS). Withouth a respective certification or qualification, a company cannot develop products for Docsis. The first qualifications were given to Casa Systems, Arris, and Cisco in December 2007 for their CMTS products. ^[4] The first certification for cable modems were given out to Arris, Cisco, Motorola, and SMC Networks Inc. ^[5]

[edit] Cable Companies with Docsis

Comcast: Comcast was the first cable company to offer Docsis 3.0 when it launched in April, 2008 . Comcast is competing mainly with both FiOS and U-Verse, which use Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) technology. In markets where FiOS is present, Comcast is deploying its 50 Mbps system for a price of $150/month. ^[6] However, because U-Verse delivers a speed of 10 Mbps ^[7], Comcast is delivering a 16 Mbps product in areas with only U-Verse. In comparison, FiOS costs $140/month in most areas, while U-Verse costs $100/month. ^[8] Comcast plans to offer 50 Mbp to its entire customer base by 2010.

Time Warner Cable: Time Warner Cable plans to launch their own Docsis 3.0 system by 2009. ^[9]

[edit] Docsis 3.0 Suppliers

The following companies develop either the cable modems, cable modem termination system (CMTS), test equipment, and/or chipsets for Docsis 3.0 systems. When CableLabs certification or qualifiaction is mentioned it refers to CableLabs, a non-profit R&D organization which created and oversees docsis technology. CableLabs monitors the level to which companies comply with its specifications. For example, a gold qualification means better compliance than a bronze qualification. Companies cannot produce a product for Docsis 3.0 unless it has been certified or qualified.

Definitions:

Embedded multimedia terminal adapter (E-MTA) is a combination of a cable modem and a telephone adapter. This means the consumer gets both data transfer from the cable modem component and VoIP (voice over internet protocol) from the telephone adapter component.

Cable modem termination system (CMTS) sends the signal from the cable company to the cable modems in the home.

• Cisco: Cisco provides cable modem termination systems (CMTS) for Comcast. Comcast is also using cable modems from Scientific Atlanta, which is owned by Cisco. Cisco was among the first companies to have a CMTS product qualify for production. CableLabs gave them a bronze qualification for Cisco's CMTS product in December 2007. ^[10]

• Arris: Arris received a bronze qualification from CableLabs for both its CMTS product in December 2007, as well as on May 9th for its embedded multimedia terminal adapter (E-MTA).^[11] Arris made an agreement with Comcast to sell them its newest CMTS product in May 2008.

• Motorola: On May 9th Motorola became one of the first companies to gain certification from CableLabs for its Surfboard cable modems. The company has also gained bronze qualification from CableLabs to sell their own CMTS and E-MTA products. ^[12]

• Texas Instruments: TI's Puma 5 family develops cable modem chipsets for Docsis 3.0. TI is currently the only company offering chipsets for Docsis 3.0 compatible modems. ^[13] The first wave of cable modems were certified for production on May 9th, 2008.

• Casa Systems: Casa attained the first silver qualification for CMTS in the industry in December 2007. ^[14] Casa then became the first company to gain gold qualification on May 9 2008. ^[15] This means Casa achieved complete compliance with the specifiaction requirements established by CableLabs. Casa Systems is a privately held company.

• SMC Networks Inc.: SMC develops Docsis 3.0 certified cable modems. ^[16] SMC is a private subsidiary.

The following companies have Doscis 1.1 and/or Docsis 2.0 products, but have not yet developed or have been certified/qualified to produce Docsis 3.0 products.

• Broadcom Corp

• Conexant Systems

• NETGEAR

[edit] References

1. ↑ First Docsis Cable Modems
2. ↑ First Docsis 3.0 Deployment
3. ↑ Comcast Unleashes Docsis 3.0
4. ↑ First Docsis 3.0 Qualifications
5. ↑ Cable Modems Achieve Firsts
6. ↑ First Docsis Cable Modems
7. ↑ AT&T U-Verse
8. ↑ AT&T U-Verse
9. ↑ Waiting for Docsis 3.0
10. ↑ Docsis 3.0 Firsts
11. ↑ Certification for Arris
12. ↑ Motorola Certification
13. ↑ Docsis 3.0 Testing Skips a Beat
14. ↑ Docsis 3.0 Firsts
15. ↑ Cable Modems Achieve Firsts
16. ↑ Cable Modems Achieve Firsts